The Forgotten Queen

by YellowLanterns

Shortly after the arrival of the Draenei on Azeroth they are hunted by their old enemy the Orcs. The Horde Warchief has constructed a prison to enslave the captured Draenei. The refugees seek aid from the races of the Alliance to survive. Meanwhile a dark force is building just off the shores of Kalimdor, an unseen threat that has long been forgotten.

The Forgotten Queen

A World of Warcraft Fanfiction Novel

Peter Mendenhall

…There is a way…

…You will become more than you ever were…

…We can help…

…You will be more than you have ever been…

…And when the time comes, for what we grant you…

…You will serve us well…

-The Old Gods-

PROLOGUE

Dr. Kolozi, self-proclaimed medical practitioner and amateur chef extraordinaire, was a stubborn, old goblin; more stubborn than most. He was also greedy, sneaky, and loud like all the other members of his race. But he was also known to have a mild generous streak once every couple of years or so. Unlike most other goblins, Dr. Kolozi occasionally enjoyed sharing of his substance with others. He was never one to hold back when it came to giving out samples of his culinary creations, especially when it was gifted to those he cared for. This night was no different. Dr. Kolozi had just finished making a yellowbellied eel pie. It was one of his favorite meals and he wanted to share it with somebody. The only goblins awake at this late hour were the few old seadogs who worked at the port, so they would have to suffice.

The Doc grabbed a serving knife and then pulled the pie from the window of his kitchen where it had been cooling. He then poked a knobby, green finger right into the center of the dessert to check the temperature. After removing his finger, he sucked the juices off his chipped nail, and then trotted out the door towards the docks with a smug grin on his wrinkled face.

His home was at the very top of the hill that led from the Barrens down into the seaside town of Ratchet. Dr. Kolozi had been born and raised here and didn't plan to leave any time soon. Ratchet was small and fairly quiet, but it was also one of the few ports on the Eastern side of Kalimdor, so anything you'd ever want or need was available by the shipload if you had the patience for it. He walked slowly down the slope to where the ground leveled out and blended into the water. He was taking heed to be careful strolling in the dark of night, but when he saw the silhouette of someone on the pier he began to pick up speed, running out onto the wooden planks with pie in hand.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" asked Dizzywig the wharfmaster.

"Time is money friend," Kolozi replied. "Besides, I brought you a midnight snack." He held out the pie.

"It smells like an aged centaur that's been stewing in raw sewage all day," said Dizzywig rudely.

The Doc furled his protruding brow and scoffed. "Well fine then. I guess I'll just share it with Grimble. More for us to split." He turned up his nose and shoved past the wharfmaster. There was another old goblin on the docks, perched atop a shipping crate near the last set of piers. Kolozi made his way over to the shipmaster and presented his pie. "I made this eel pie. Would you like a piece?"

Grimble had been napping and when he heard the voice he startled awake and nearly teetered off the dock. He managed to steady himself before taking the plunge and glared at the goblin that had rudely awoken him. After a few seconds of awkward silence Grimble glanced down at the food. It looked edible, but not very appetizing. He was skeptical at first, but when he saw the yearning look on the old goblin's face he decided that one piece couldn't hurt. "Aye, I'll take a slice," he muttered.

Dr. Kolozi was beaming from pointy ear to pointy ear. He cut into his creation and offered a piece to Grimble. The other goblin took and ate in one motion while the Doc watched on in anticipation of Grimble's response.

Grimble chewed longer and louder than necessary, chunks of pie falling out onto his tunic. Then he swallowed, paused, and swallowed again.

"Well, how was it?" Kolozi asked, his eyes twinkling in the moonlight.

"Not bad," replied Grimble. "Not bad at all."

"Wonderful. Would you like another piece?"

"Sure, sure. Why don't you grab yourself a seat and keep me company. The docks are lonely at night and Dizzywig over there aint much of a talker. And when he does say something it's usually rude or distasteful."

The Doc fetched a barrel and rolled it over next to Grimble, taking a seat on it after standing it upright. "I noticed. He didn't even try my eel pie. I made it fresh just this evening."

"So you're a chef then?" asked Grimble.

"Well, not by trade. I'm usually a doctor, but my talents are endless."

"Sounds better than my job. All I do is guard these docks day and night. It might seem ideal, with all of the interesting people that pass through Ratchet, but honestly most of them don't even stop to chat. Everyone is so busy."

"Have you ever met anyone from Booty Bay?" asked Kolozi. "I had an uncle who moved there a few years back. Haven't heard from him since."

"Aye, lots of folks come through here from the Bay. None of them goblins though. Mostly humans. In fact, just the other day there was this man who…"

At that moment a piercing sound echoed into the night. Both goblins stopped talking and looked out towards the sea where the noise had originated. Loud footsteps came rushing up behind them and before long Dizzywig had joined them at the end of the docks.

Another screeching sound shattered the silence.

"What the devil was that?" Dizzywig asked, cautiously moving behind a set of crates for protection.

"I'm not sure," said Kolozi, rising from his barrel. He stepped toward the edge of the pier and gazed into the darkness.

"Could be the Makrura," said Grimble. "It sort of sounds like them, but usually they only make that sound when they feel threatened."

Dr. Kolozi and Dizzywig looked at each other, their eyes bulging with terror. Dizzywig ducked down behind the crates. Only his pointed head and the tips of his ears could be seen and they were shaking. The noise came again, but this time it was cut off by a choking sound. Then it was silent, eerily silent.

"I wonder what's got them all flustered," said Grimble, leaning farther over the edge, using the wooden post to stabilize him.

The sea began to stir slightly, small waves licking at the shoreline and crashing gently into the dock supports. There was no wind, not even a breeze, yet the water continued to ripple and move. "Hmm, that's peculiar," mentioned Grimble. "The surf is acting mighty strange tonight."

"Look," shouted Kolozi. He was now pointing at the beach. "What is that under the surface of the water?"

Grimble squinted and strained his eyes to try and decipher what it was. There was definitely something moving just under the waves.

"Look, there's another one over there." The Doc was now pointing to the beach on the opposite side of the dock. "And there. And another over there." His knobby finger was waving back and forth pointing out the mysterious shapes.

Dizzywig had stuck his head out just enough to get a peek. "What are they? They're everywhere."

Finally something broke the surface and scurried out onto the sand. It was a white crab. The sea was full of them around this part of Kalimdor. Another exited the surf, scurrying along after the first. Then another, and another, and another. Before long the entire beach on both sides of the docks were full of the tiny crustaceans, all moving quickly out of the water and away from the sea.

"Huh, that's strange," muttered Grimble. "I've never seen crabs migrate like this. There must be hundreds of them."

"Thousands," added Dizzywig, who finally came out of his hiding spot when he realized that there was no real threat.

"Where could they all be going?" asked Kolozi.

"Your guess is as good as mine," said Grimble.

Then the screeching noise came again and all three goblins looked back out to sea with widening eyes. There was something else moving below, but it was much larger and further out. The water in the distance rose up and curved slightly like a bubble and the waves were getting bigger now, crashing more violently against the shoreline.

"What is happening?" They all said together.

Then they watched as something poked through the center of the bubbled water. It was round and covered in what looked like seaweeds or possibly coral. It continued to grow until two bulbous eyes could be seen, nearly hidden among the draped tangles of hair and sea plants. That was when Grimble and Dizzywig finally realized what it was.

"Giants!" They yelled. But before any of them could turn and run the monstrous Tidal Strider rose out of the water and smashed the dock to pieces with his massive club.

Splinters of wood flew in all directions, tossing the goblins and the crates into the sea. The giant continued to swing his weapon aimlessly, breaking anything and everything it touched. He growled and stomped over the shattered docks onto the shore. He stopped for a moment, turned towards the sea and waited as more giants rose from the depths. "For the Queen!" it shouted and then moved into the sleepy town leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

CHAPTER ONE

The secluded banks of Sungraze Creek were normally a place of tranquility and peace, a sanctuary filled with the beauty and splendor of the Earthmother. The clear, blue waters flowed gently through the landscape, carving a winding trail along the forest floor and down into the fertile valleys at the foot of the Mulgore mountain range. This was the place where the mighty Tauren tribes gathered to wash and play after a long day of hunting or gathering. Towering ponderosa pine trees, their needles appearing shadowy black at a distance, created a thick barrier against the craggy, volcanic cliff faces and jutting granite rock formations that lined both sides of the little brook. Their branches spread out over the water like groping arms, providing a shaded canopy with sparse patches where the setting sun could creep through to provide just enough light to warm the water enough to bathe in. This remote spot in the woods was a sight to behold under normal circumstances, but this night was not like most.

Screams of agony echoed off of the sturdy evergreen trunks, filling the once silent forest with the wretched cries of the dying. The wailing sobs of now orphaned Tauren children, mingled with the weeping cries of newly widowed elders added an eerie sound of mourning to the already disturbing chorus of painful shrieks coming from the doomed souls who would soon be leaving the world forever.

A young Tauren calfling, with a hide the color of pure copper ore, wandered around in the trees like a lost puppy. No more than 5 years of age, the child was dragging behind her a weathered doll from one dangling, lifeless arm. Her other arm was extended in front of her, grasping out for anything that would take it. The cafling appeared lost, and although there were others around, not one stopped what they were doing to help the poor child or offer her any kind of assistance. She was visibly frightened by the way her frail, little chest wrenched heavily with each choking breath. The fur under her swollen eyes was drenched with her tears and a trail of green mucus covered her upper lip. She was distraught and in dire need of some comfort or a loving hand to sooth her tiny heart. But there was no comfort to be given, at least not at that moment.

The air around the little creek was thick with smoke, but it was clear that the cafling girl was not alone in her suffering. Everyone on the banks of the creek bed was hurting in some way or another, be their wounds physical, emotional, or both. The little girl stumbled around the scene in a mindless haze, tears running down each of her puffy cheeks, leaving lines in the dirt and filth that covered her hairy face. Sweat plastered her grungy, golden hair in uneven clumps against her forehead. The moist, salty strands glistened in the light from the roaring fires that burned the huts on the far bank. She meandered towards the blazing pyre that was once the home that she had shared with her mother and two older brothers. They were all dead and gone now, their bodies smoldering inside. Her feet barely left the ground as she shuffled through the camp, her little hooves kicking at the blood stained dirt. She passed by an old white-hide Tauren woman who was huddled over the body of a boy, most likely her son or grandson. The cafling girl stopped for a brief moment, staring blankly at her elder, watching how the woman cradled the dead boy's head in her wrinkled hands and tenderly brought his face up to hers for a final kiss.

The troubled girl moved on, treading aimlessly towards the creek. All around her tendrils of smoke rose from the piles of bodies that littered the creek bed. There were hundreds of corpses, most of them people she knew. In some places the body count was so numerous that it was hard to even determine how many dead were there. Bloody limbs and tattered hides spread out from the piles in all directions, strewn across the camp like a blanket of rotting flesh. Severed hooves, slashed throats, bite-riddled appendages, and decapitated torsos were being lifted gingerly and moved aside as the few living members of the Tribe searched the corpses for other possible survivors.

The massacre was finally over, but the horror was just beginning for the Tauren people. The strange, masked militia had appeared out of nowhere, riding their armored wolves and sounding like angry bumblebees as they charged into camp. The red-skinned soldiers had a sinister and angular look to what was visible of their faces, one that seemed familiar to the Tauren. They appeared orcish, but were shorter in stature, somewhat thinner, and their hair had gone the color of the clouds. They called themselves the Warchief's Guard, but most of their other words were not understood by the startled Tauren. The savage riders had shown up unannounced, swooping down through the trees with their weapons drawn and their horns blazing. They came riding into the camp, demanding to meet with the High Chieftain. When a Tauren man tried to explain that their Chief was on a spiritual journey, the mysterious soldiers drove a sword through his heart killing him right in the view of all the others. They then threatened that unless the Chieftain would agree to meet with them they would return on the morrow to finish what they had started there that night. What exactly had they started? Who were they and why had they come in the first place? Who was this Warchief they spoke of? And what had they hoped to accomplish through their unforgivable actions? The Tauren did not know the answers, but what they did know was that these crimson-skinned devils were unpredictable and dangerous.

The militia returned again the next day and the Tauren Chieftain was still gone on his pilgrimage to bury his father. Their rigid faces were masked behind black cloth with only a small opening for their shimmering, green eyes that was cut just along the line of their foreheads where their greying hair rested. They were covered from head to toe in thick, padded leather armoring, with long overcoats that covered any part of their bodies that would normally be exposed. Despite all of this, their anger was clearly visible. Their fists shook with rage and their eyes burned with malice.

The soldiers didn't stop to converse this time around. They crashed back into the camp of unsuspecting Tauren like a herd of stampeding elephants, brutally trampling or striking down every man, woman, or calf that got in their way. The first run through the creek bed had been easy for them. Many unarmed Tauren fell under the crushing paws of the plated wolves and even more were met with the hot lead or steel that flew from the ends of the rifles and bows of the Guardsmen themselves. By the time the soldiers had circled around for another pass the Tauren had armed themselves and were preparing to fight back, but their primitive staves and clubs were no match for the guns and swords of the Warchief's Guard. Those who resisted were run through, impaled on the ends of the orcish steel and those who fled were gunned down in their retreat. Only those who willfully surrendered or hid themselves under the corpses of their fallen brothers and sisters survived. After another brutal massacre the main rider dismounted and yelled at the top of his lungs so all could hear him.

"This land belongs to the Bonechewer Clan now," he yelled. "Vacate now or we will continue to slaughter your people until the Tauren are wiped from the face of Kalimdor. Heed this warning. We will return."

With that the rider mounted his wolf and sped away with the rest of his Clan at his heels. Now the dust was settling and the few survivors were grouping up to comfort one another and bury their dead. Their Chieftain, a scrawny, young bull named Cairne Bloodhoof, finally arrived to witness the suffering of his people. He had seen the smoke from afar and returned early from his prayers at the shrine of the Earthmother to investigate. If only he had arrived sooner, maybe he could've prevented this horrible tragedy. He and the other Tribal elders began gathering the survivors to the center of the destroyed camp. The Guardsmen had left for the time being and would not return for a few hours. The Tauren leaders would need to use this small window of opportunity to discuss their next plan of action. Chieftain Cairne climbed atop a granite stone that put him just barely above the others. He was a shorter bull, smaller than most Tauren in stature at his age. He had no distinguishing features, nor scars that depicted a long life of leading a tribe. The hair on his face was the smooth and clean, like the hide of a youth. It was not the face of a great warrior like his father before him had been. Cairne had never seen the fields of battle nor tasted the victory of a hunt. He had never led an army of braves or rode a kodo for more than a few miles. He was still a boy in most respects. His legend was just starting because that night he became something more. He was their High Chieftain. And whether he looked the part or not, he would need to be strong and lead his people in this dark hour.

Cairne stood up straight and held his head high. He wanted to show his people that he was not afraid of the new strangers to their land. He wanted to build their confidence so that they too could stand tall in such troubling times. He looked out over his Tribe, scanning the sullen faces of his family and friends. There were not many left alive, only a few dozen. Their heads were hung low and many of them still had tears running down their faces. Cairne began to speak. His voice was not intimidating or loud, but his words came from his heart and when he spoke, all heads were turned towards him. There was a great power in this young Chieftain.

"My brothers and sisters," he began. "With a heavy heart, we are gathered here on this sacred ground. The Earthmother looks down upon us at this time and She has heard your cries. Your suffering is not unnoticed."

The crowd was now moving closer to the little bull on the rock. Even those who had been tending to the wounded were now joining the survivors at the center of the camp. There was some murmuring among those in the forming crowd, low and quiet, but audible. Their fear and worry was noticeable.

Cairne took a deep breath, searching for the words to say next. He did not want to speak wrongfully and cause more grief and pain for his people. But he did not want to hide the truth from them either. It would only give them cause to distrust him. "I am not my father," he began. "I am not seasoned as a leader. In fact, I am probably the least qualified among us to lead this great Tribe, but our laws dictated that I am the successor who must take on the mantle of High Chieftain after my father. I do not wish this upon myself, but have no doubt that I will do my best to represent the Tauren from this day until my last day. I will lay down my own life in defense of this Tribe if the Great Spirits require it of me. But I cannot lead this people by myself. I will need your help, all of you, young and old alike. We must bond together if we are to live on. Alone we will perish."

Some of the Tauren began to holler and cheer. Others remained silent.

"Many of you have lost your homes here today. Some of them are still burning around us," Cairne continued. "But we can rebuild. And I will prepare a refuge in our great city Thunder Bluff until your new homes are finished. I do not fear those savages."

"What if the soldiers return?" cried a woman in the crowd. "They swore it. We cannot keep rebuilding just to have them tear it all down again."

Cairne turned towards the cow. "I understand your concern," he said. "That is why we must seek for peace with these red strangers."

"Peace?" another voice called out. This time it was a tall, muscled bull from the back of the group. He stepped forward, pushing his way to the front, so he could be heard by all. Once he got to the rock upon which the Chieftain stood, he turned to the crowd and raised his large, branded arms to the sky. "Peace like the peace the orcs promised us in their false treaties? Peace like this?" He motioned towards the bodies all around them. "You actually think that those Bonechewer devils will give us peace? Then you are a fool."

Cairne was taken aback. He had not expected this kind of reception to his words. He was unprepared to counter. And to make the situation worse, the other bull's words were true. The strangers had not come to make peace. Seeking it was not an option, it appeared.

"What is your name?" Cairne asked the man.

"I am Toshe, son of Magatha Grimtotem, who was one of your father's advisors before his tragic passing. She will claim her place as elder on your council if you so wish." He wiped a sturdy hand through his black Mohawk and then pounded it on his chest.

"Toshe, I accept the company of your mother at the head of this tribe," said Cairne. "Bring her forward."

The bull stepped back to allow his mother to move towards their Chieftan. She was aged, but still appeared spry and wise. "Thank you Chieftan," she said. Her voice was deep and melodic, almost like a song.

"You are most welcome. Now then, let me ask you a question. It will be your first chance to give me advice. What do you propose we do in this situation?"

"We avenge our fallen loved ones," said Magatha. "We strike back at the red demons and slaughter them upon their return."

"But we are a peaceful people good Magatha."

"We were a peaceful people. That was before the strangers came. Now the Tauren are under new leadership so we can change our traditions. How many times must we watch our people being butchered before we take action?"

"I know that you are suffering right now, but violence is not an option. There are other ways to deal with this than the shedding of blood. That would make us no better than them. I will speak with their Warchief in Durotar and see if he knows about this rebel Clan."

"They attacked us first. It is justified," said Toshe, moving to the side of his mother.

"You both are not thinking this through completely. Your minds are clouded with rage. I know that it is difficult to see it now, but we must think about the future of this Tribe. We have all lost loved ones here today and no matter what you think, there is nothing that we can say or do that will bring them back," Cairne continued.

At that moment another voice from the crowd interrupted the young chief's speech. "But there is dear Chieftain," it said.

Cairne stopped talking and looked out into the crowd in the direction the voice had come from. It was a beautiful, young cow, one the Chieftain had seen many times before. Her name was Linaya Ashenhammer. "Step forward," he called to her. "Please, tell me of what you speak Linaya."

The woman moved through the crowd and approached the rock upon which Cairne was standing. She bowed her head and knelt in the dirt before him. It was a sign of respect that Cairne had not received from either Grimtotem. "I apologize. I did not mean to interrupt my Chieftain," said Linaya.

Cairne furled his brow. "Please stand up. You show me too much respect."

Linaya raised her head, but remained on her knees. "But you are the Chieftain," she said. "You should be shown great respect."

"Then let me earn your respect," said Cairne, reaching out his hand and lifting her to her feet. He then turned his voice to all of the survivors. "Let me serve you as my father before me did. Then I will deserve this type of courtesy."

"Yes my Chieftain," said Linaya, stepping back towards the group a few feet.

Toshe then walked forward towards them. "Noble Cairne," he said. "We must not let this go unpunished. The evil orcs slaughtered our people." He pointed to one of the corpses on the ground near the creek. It was the body of a Bonechewer guardsman who had been struck in the chest by a spear. "Look upon this land Cairne. This is our sacred land. We have lived in these hills for a long time, longer than you or I can remember. Our caflings were born on these shores and played here in these trees. Our grandparents have grown old and are buried here under the shadows of these cliffs. Now these devils taint our sacred soil with the blood of innocents. Something must be done to avenge them."

The Chieftain stepped off the rock and put his hand on Linaya's shoulder. "This woman says there is a way to bring our loved ones back. Linaya, share with this people what you know?"

Linaya turned around to face the crowd. "We can bring them back," she said. "All of them."

"This woman speaks blasphemy," Magatha yelled. "The dead are dead and we must avenge them."

"Their souls live on," Linaya continued. "And they can return, just as the kodo herds did when the influx of new settlers to this continent nearly wiped them out."

Cairne realized what Linaya was talking about and joined in. "The Druids of Darnassus. Linaya speaks of the Healing Touch."

The survivors began talking amongst themselves. They had all heard of the ritual before. It had been practiced by their ancestors, but had been unpracticed for generations. Attempting the Touch again seemed like a logical solution. It had worked on the kodo when the herds were almost obliterated decades before. Why would it not work on other forms of life? It was worth a try.

Toshe and Magatha saw that their plan was being discarded and decided to bring the attention of the crowd back to them. Toshe walked over to the slain orc soldier and yanked the spear free from the body, tossing it aside. He then removed a flint knife from his belt and knelt down near the corpse. "You said we must be strong in these troubling times," he said to Cairne. "Well I know what will make us strong my Chieftain. It is not allying ourselves with elves." He then plunged the blade into the dead soldier's chest where the spear had been and pulled the knife down, opening the guard's abdomen like a piece of rotten fruit.

Cairne stumbled back into the granite rock, distress spreading across his face. There were audible gasps of shock from the crowd as they all watched Toshe sink his hands into the open cavity and remove the dead Bonechewer's blackened heart. He raised the organ above his head, waving it around so the entire Tribe could see it. He then lowered the heart and stretched it out towards Cairne, thick blood rolling down his arms and dripping into the dirt.

"This is where we will find the power to move on," said Toshe. He then lifted the organ to his mouth and sank his teeth into the gristly tissue, tearing off a large chunk of muscle and swallowing it whole. Blood ran down over his lips and dripped onto his leather tunic. "We must feast upon our enemies and gain their life force," he yelled as he took another bite.

Magatha, two other bulls, and one cow stepped out of the crowd and walked towards the crazed Toshe. "Our elder speaks truth," one of them said. "Revenge is the only option here." He took his own generous bite of the heart and then passed it to the others. They took the organ from him and one by one, they began to eat from it.

"This is madness," Cairne yelled. "Stop this at once. This is not the way to avenge our people."

"You have your ways and I have mine," said Magatha, smiling and showing off her blood-stained teeth. "Come with us if you want the red demons to answer for their crimes," she said to the crowd. "I will save our people and cleanse our sacred lands from the evil that has tainted it. Or follow your new Chieftain and become slaves to the orcs…or worse. The choice is yours."

No one else in the crowd moved. They were all looking to their Chieftain for answers. Cairne stood tall again and turned his voice to them. "There are other ways," he said. "I promise you. The Healing Touch will work." He then turned to the Grimtotems and their few followers. "Remove yourselves from this holy ground. You are no longer a part of this family. As Chieftain of the Tauren, I hearby exile you from the Tribe. Go now, and never return."

CHAPTER TWO

There was a pounding like war drums. It grew from a heavy, muffled beat to a thundering noise that drowned out nearly all other sound. Navirra's head spun as the roaring clamor echoed in her ears. She attempted to open her eyes, but the fierce light sent sharp jolts of pain into her already throbbing head. She rolled onto her back and lifted her hands to cover her face. That was when she felt a stabbing agony in her left forearm. She squeezed her eyes together when the pain first hit her. It felt like her arm was on fire. She slowly parted her eyelids, straining to see her wound, without allowing too much light into her vision.

Navirra was correct. Her whole arm, from elbow to thumb, was burnt. The skin was charred near the edges and a blistering mess of enflamed tissue in the center. It reminded her of a berry compote her mother used to make her as a child. Except this was not appetizing at all. It was quite the opposite. The sight of her scorched, green skin almost made her vomit.

I must fix this before the pain kills me, she thought.

Navirra pulled herself into a sitting position and raised her good arm to her forehead. She placed her fingertips into the flesh between her eyebrows and muttered a few words. "Naaru grant me your blessing," she said and then lowered her hand to the wound on her other arm. She clasped her hand around the blistered skin and let out a shriek as she clenched her fingers tightly together. She continued to scream for a few seconds until something miraculous began to happen. A piercing blue light began to radiate out from between her fingers. It shone bright like rays from the sun poking through the clouds, but this light moved upward and away. Navirra's cries began to weaken until her sniveling became almost silent. When she removed her hand the skin underneath was smooth and clean like that of a newborn baby. The charring was gone and the festering boils had disappeared.

Navirra smiled and lifted her head skyward. "The Naaru have not forgotten us," she said. "I thank you."

Her eyes had finally adjusted to the intense sunlight and now she could see the chaos around her. There were wounded Draenei everywhere. Some were dying, others already dead. Even more were stumbling around aimlessly for something sturdy to lean on. Navirra looked beyond the little clearing she was in and followed the trail of people to a valley inside a crater-like mountain. At the center of the bowl she could see a massive chunk of her ship jutting up from the broken earth. Fires had broken out on different sections of the hull, but it appeared mostly intact.

Navirra couldn't remember the crash, but the carnage all around and the wound she had just healed led her to believe that it had occurred. The real question was where had they landed? Nothing looked familiar. This landscape in every direction was very foreign to her. The towering trees in the clearing had dark needles where the leaves should've been. The mountains that surrounded the crash site were a dull grey color, very unlike the green, grass-colored hills of Nagrand where she had been raised. The sky was full of ash so it was difficult to discern the weather, but it felt much more humid than what she had been used to back on Draenor. The water however, was clear and crisp, which Navirra was greatful for. She cupped her hands in a nearby pool and splashed some of the cool water onto her face. It felt amazing on her chapped skin. She dipped her hands in a second time and was about to run her wet fingers through her dirty white hair when she heard a voice.

"Warm wishes to you," said the masculine voice.

Navirra turned to meet an older Draenei with a long black braid of hair and bushy sideburns on his aged face. She began to stand up to greet him and extended her hand when he offered to help her to her feet.

"I am Megelon," he said. "I was sent out here to round up any survivors. It looks like you are fairing well young one. Are you able to walk?"

"Yes, thank the gods," answered Navirra. "Or thank the Naaru. I was burned, but I used the Gift and it healed quite nicely."

"Good fortune. You should start making your way towards the ship. It is not safe to stay out here in this strange place. There could be many dangers lurking in the tall grass of this unfamiliar world. We must gather together and formulate a plan of action. Go now child and may the Light embrace you."

"Thank you Megelon." Navirra bowed to him and started walking down the slope towards the remains of the ship. As she got closer she could see that it was not the entire ship, just a section that must've broken off. It was pretty well intact still as Megelon had mentioned, but great bolts of violet energy arced in all directions from its broken power core. This made it unstable and therefore not entirely safe. The ship would provide some shelter, but not for long. The survivors would have to venture out into the unknown territory to find a more suitable refuge eventually. For now, Navirra moved forward and was met by another Draenei male at the door.

"Archenon Poros. Another survivor," he said with a smile when he saw her. "Please come inside and rest. There are priests tending to the wounded and some of the matriarchs are making honey cakes for sustenance."

Navirra smiled back and walked through the archway into the main hull of the ship. She could smell the sweet aroma of the honey cakes as soon as she crossed the threshold. She didn't even realize how hungry she was until the heavenly scent filled her nostrils. How long had she been unconscious out there in the wild? Her hunger pains made it seem like ages. She entered the main hall and found a seat on a wobbly bench near the door.

There was another Draenei woman sitting, but she rose and walked away crying as Navirra sat down. "Well that was awkward," Navirra said out loud."

"Yep. Everyone around here is in hysterics," said a voice to Navirra's right.

Navirra turned to meet a face she recognized. It was her best friend Kriin. Kriin was the same age as Navirra, but almost an entire foot shorter and her skin was a light shade of blue, not emerald green like Navirra's own. She also styled her hair in long black curls that covered her ears and hung to her shoulders. Navirra hated feeling hair on her neck, so she would keep her snowy white locks pulled back into a high tail.

"Kriin!" Navirra shrieked excitedly. "I was worried that maybe I wouldn't see you again."

"What's that supposed to mean?" question Kriin. "Did you think that I died or something? That's so morbid."

"I don't know what to think right now. This is all so crazy. The Exodar crashed. Can you believe it?"

"If you think this is crazy, you should come with me and see the rest of the ship." Kriin grabbed Navirra by the arm and pulled her up from the bench. She led her friend back out the door she had entered, past the friendly man and around the side of the escape pod crash site.

"Where are you taking me Kriin? The man back there said it's dangerous to be wandering around outside."

"I know, I know. We'll go back inside in just a minute. I wanted you to see this first." She continued to pull Navirra along until they crested a small hill. That was when Kriin stopped and pointed. "Isn't it beautiful?" she said, waving her hand from side to side, pointing out everything on the horizon.

"Wow," was all that Navirra could say. The beauty before her was breathtaking and it left her speechless.

Directly in front of the two young Draenei was a thin, dirt path that wound its way down the hill to a stream. Navirra could see some sort of red fish jumping in and out of the crystal clear water's surface. Beyond that the trail moved upward again, meandering between some flowering trees with little pink blossoms lining their branches. The path was marked by strange glowing crystals.

"What are those lights?" Navirra asked.

"Oh those? Those were put there by some scouts to mark the path between here and the Exodar."

"So the rest of the ship is in that direction?"

"That's what the scouts say," answered Kriin. "I haven't been beyond the waters here, so I just take their word for it. But I think that might be the tip of the ship over there." She pointed slightly to the left of the rising path. "See that flash of light, just above the treeline there? I think that's the Exodar."

Navirra strained her eyes. She couldn't quite make out what it was, but there was definitely something metallic that was causing the sun to reflect such bright light back at them. "Should we go and check it out?"

"I don't know if that's such a good ide…"

"I should've known I find you two out here getting into trouble," someone interrupted.

Both girls turned around and smiled when they noticed another Draenei who just so happened to be a mutual friend of theirs. "Jemiini!" they both squealed in unison. They then rushed their friend and pulled her into a clumsy group hug.

"Hey girls," the newcomer said. "I'm glad to see you're both alive and well. Now can you please let me go. You're making it hard to breathe."

Navirra and Kriin giggled and let go of their friend.

"This is really great," said Navirra. "Both of my best friends are here. I was so afraid that I'd lost everyone. I still haven't seen my brother, but he was in the main part of the ship, so I'm holding out hope that he is still there and fairing as well as us."

"Blessing upon your family Navirra," said Jemiini. "If I had any relatives that survived the orc attacks on Draenor I'd be freaking out right about now."

"Kriin and I were just talking about going over to find the Exodar. The scouts say that it is just over there beyond that hill. Do you want to come with us?"

"Whoa, slow down. I never agreed to that," said Kriin. "That crazy idea was yours and yours alone. I'm not about to go wandering out there without a weapon or a man, especially now when it's getting dark."

Jemiini smiled. Her lips curled up at the corners causing dimples to form on each cheek. "Sounds exciting," she said. "I'm in." She brushed a hanging strand of her short, blue hair away from her eyes.

"Seriously?" Kriin said, looking back and forth between her friends. "I really don't think this is wise."

"But my brother could be out there," said Navirra. "And the rest of our people probably are too. Don't you want to go find them? Or at least know if they survived? I need that peace of mind, so I'm going. You are welcome to join me." She then turned to Jemiini. "Are you ready?"

"Favor the road traveled, right?" Jemiini gave a slight nod towards the trail.

"Come on Kriin. Please," said Navirra. "It won't be scary. I promise. The path is even lit the whole way. As long as we don't venture off of the trail, we'll be fine."

Kriin looked down at the path with uneasiness. She then let out a deep breath and sighed. "Fine. I'll go. But I won't enjoy it. And I swear that if we get lost or hurt I'm gonna tell your Grandfather."

"Leave him out of this. He doesn't need to know we traveled at night. We can just tell him we went with some scouts during daylight."

"You're acting like he can't see through lies. He is the Prophet. I'm pretty sure that he can read us all like open books."

"Whatever," said Navirra. "Let's go."

The three Draenei began to descend the slope until it met the path. They all gave one final look behind them and then pushed forward, guiding themselves through the darkness by the light of the crystal torches.

-SIX WEEKS LATER-

CHAPTER THREE

The Horde Warchief sat alone in his chambers, drumming his thick fingers on the arms of the overstuffed chair like an impatient customer at the Auction House. The warmth of the crackling fire nearby was of no comfort to the restless orc even though the radiant heat seeped soothingly through his stocking covered feet, which were propped up on a velvety ottoman in front of him. He had been sitting in this chair for over an hour, barely moving at all other than to occasionally rub at his forehead nervously. He looked rather distressed by the way the veins stood out on his scalp like little pulsing highways. His agitation was clear as he wiggled his toes anxiously in the musty air.

A crude battle-axe was propped against the nearby end table. He reached for it and a shiny medallion fell out of his shirt, dangling from his neck on a silver chain. He stopped short of grabbing the axe and instead picked up the medallion. He clumsily lifted it to his face to admire it craftsmanship. It had been molded into the shape of the Blackrock Clan crest. He gazed down at the polished gold and let out a deep breath, trying to remember how much less stressful his life had been before he became Warchief of the entire Horde.

It was very late in the evening and he knew that he should be sleeping, but sleep did not come easily anymore. He let out another long exhale, blowing the unkempt, greying hair that hung about his face away from his eyes slightly. The eyes, although unseen under his hanging locks, were clear and attentive despite his rough appearance. He looked up and into the flames of the roaring fireplace. His eyes grew narrow and squinty as he gazed deeper into the crackling embers almost putting himself into a trance in an attempt to relax his nerves. It did not work. He shook his head until his eyes were again clear and focused. He looked to his left and saw a pair of worn, leather boots that lay next to the hearth. His mind again wandered and he found himself deep in thought, replaying his uneasy feelings over and over in his head. Something had been troubling the orc over the past few days and tonight was particularly weighing on him. Outside of his chambers he acted as if all was well, but inside he was restless and wary. He was scheduled to give an important address to the orc clans in the morning and was afraid of how they, and the other races of the Horde, might react to his speech.

His heavy thoughts were instantly scattered when there came a soft knock at the door, followed by an even softer voice. "Blackhand, may I come in and join you now for that flagon of ale you promised me earlier?" the voice pleaded.

The grizzled orc sat up in his chair and brushed the loose hairs from his face, combing them against his skull in an attempt to look less disheveled and more professional. He was still wearing his plated chestguard and mail breeches, but had removed his bracers and boots earlier. He stood, brushing jerky crumbs from his lap to the stone floor. "Don't speak of trivial things Orgrim. It's very late. What is it that you really desire of me?"

"Your mate is worried about you Blackhand," said the voice. "And truthfully, so am I. You haven't left your chambers in hours and chef Mogrog said that your dinner has gotten cold. Do you want to talk about tomorrow? I think that it would be wise for you to discuss what's going on with someone else instead of bottling it all up and hiding in here all day. Would you like my company or should I go and get the entire council?"

"Don't be so unwise Orgrim. My wife…well you now how Urukal is. She is a pain in my backside. All she ever does is nag and complain. And as for the council, I will speak with them later and put their minds at ease.

"What about putting your mind at ease?" questioned the younger orc through the door. "You are the one who needs to stress less and relax. Should I go and summon that elf you are so fond of?"

"Zalinne? Ha! That little minx would help me relax, but now is not the time. I prefer to be alone."

"Should I leave then?" Orgrim didn't want to leave. He knew that Blackhand was not in a state of mind to be left alone. In fact, Blackhand hadn't seemed in control since the demonic corruption he had suffered on Draenor.

"What you do is your own business," said Blackhand. "Go or stay, it matters not. If you have something to say to me, that is fine. Otherwise leave me in peace."

The door cracked open slightly and a dark haired, young orc with a stoic face poked his head through the opening. He smiled warmly, entered the room, and lightly closed the door behind him.

"Besides, I have my drinks for now. They're all the company I truly need," said the Warchief. "Do me a favor Orgrim. Go tell Mogrog to quit worrying so much. Food at this time of night would only upset my stomach. And then go and fetch Zalinne for me. Tell her that I would love to see her later this night. But do it descretely so Urakal doesn't see her."

"If you so desire," said Orgrim.

"Of course I desire. You should try out a Blood Elf for yourself some time. They are great lovers. Zalinne will surely make me forget my stresses."

"Is that the truth?" asked Orgrim.

"I'm just a little restless and unsure about the future of this great Horde, that's all. It's nothing I can't handle. I just need some time to decompress before I let the clans know what I plan on doing with this whole Draenei catastrophe. I will spend the night with Zalinne and then hold a meeting with the shadow council and clan leaders tomorrow before my address. Have them meet together in the throne room after breakfast."

"Are you sure that there is nothing else that I may assist you with right now? I hate to see you in such an awful mood. I can read over your speech if you'd like."

"Not right now Orgrim. Just fetch the elf. Besides, I don't want anyone else to know what I plan to say before I say it, even someone trustworthy like you. If the citizens of the Capital got a hold of this too early, they'd run with it and all hell would break loose."

"Then let's just talk for a few moments about something else to put your mind somewhere more peaceful. It will put you in a more relaxed mood for later. How did your visit with Vol'jin and the Darkspear Trolls go?"

"Please don't waste my time little whelp," said the Warchief. "I can see how antsy you are to know my secrets. You're practically shaking out of your boots. Calm down before you give me stomach pains."

"My apologies, Blackhand. I simply wish to give you council and advice. Maybe if you practiced part of your address with me, it would help to settle your nerves."

Blackhand sighed. "Settle my nerves? You're the one who's about to wet your breeches right here in my chambers." He looked at the other orc cockeyed. "Oh very well Orgrim, you're a persistent little rat and probably right. I shouldn't put this off any longer. Please have a seat."

The young orc walked over next to his Warchief. He was also still dressed in the armor he had been wearing earlier that day. He approached his leader who motioned for him to take a seat in the other chair that faced the fireplace.

"Have you discussed this already with any of the other council members?"

"A few of them already know what my plans are. I had to use them to get the ball rolling."

"They were in the loop and I was not?" Orgrim said, pointing at himself as he took a seat. "Shouldn't I have been the first one you told?"

"Stop whining young pup. I kept you in the dark for a reason. If this project went sour, you would be able to deny everything. I was protecting you."

"Very well then," Orgrim said. "So, what has been troubling you so much?" He didn't wait for the Warchief to answer before speaking again. "Does it have anything to do with the Blackwall project out in Mulgore?"

"How did you know about that?" Blackhand immediately started to sweat a little. Visible beads of perspiration started forming above his eyebrows. "Who told you?"

"I heard about it from Tagar, the Captain of your Guard."

"That untrustworthy grub!" the Warchief bellowed. "I wonder who else he has told. I'll have his treasonous hide for this!"

"There is no need to be concerned Blackhand. He hasn't told anyone else."

"How can you be sure?"

"Why would he? What does he stand to gain from divulging information? Even I am not fully aware of what the Blackwall project is. I simply heard the phrase in passing. I have no concrete details. I was hoping you could shed some light on this."

"I plan to," said the Warchief. "I just didn't know how to say it until now. That's what has gotten me so worked up over the past few weeks. Preparing my announcement has been one of the most difficult tasks of my rule so far. If only Gul'dan were still around to speak for me. I don't know how the clans will respond to it tomorrow. Times are changing and not necessarily for the better. Anyway, how much do you know about Blackwall?"

"Not very much at all," answered Orgrim. "Like I said before, I heard Tagar speak the phrase once. He was alone at the time and most likely just bragging to himself. You know how he is. Anyway, when I questioned him about it later, he wouldn't give me any information. Only that it was a large project that you were doing out in Mulgore. I assume it has something to do with the Draenei showing up here in Azeroth. You mentioned a fiasco. Is it related to the Draenei?"

"Well partially yes," answered the Warchief. "I have decided to create a place where we can contain them. We need to relocate those troublesome, blue pests somewhere that we can monitor them at all times. We can't just let them wander free in our new home. They are too dangerous to be left on their own, especially with the Alliance looking for new recruits to join their ranks."

"That seems a little harsh. The Draenei saved me from ogres when I was just a boy. I think they deserve our respect and friendship if anything. What kind of trouble are the Draenei causing that deserves such treatment? If I recall correctly, we were the ones who turned on them first. If they hold any hostility towards us, then it is our own fault."

"That was not us and you know it," said the Warchief. "We were corrupted by those Eredar demons, demons that once shared a common lineage with the Draenei. We shouldn't have to suffer for the mistakes of our ancestors."

"Suffer how?" asked Orgrim. "The Draenei have not threatened us. I doubt they even know we are here."

"Why else would they show up in Azeroth? They must be trying to flank us and catch us unawares. I never liked that so-called prophet of theirs. He is too smart for his own good. We must strike first if we are to survive."

"What do you have in mind and why didn't you share your plans with me earlier?"

"Again, I have your best interests at heart in this matter. I am simply trying to protect you. That's why I didn't share anything before tonight."

"I understand, but I truly think that you should reconsider attacking the Draenei. Maybe we should go and speak with Prophet Velen before jumping to hasty conclusions and starting a war that we are not prepared to fight. I know him. He could be an honorable ally."

"You were always weak Orgrim. That's why I am the Warchief and not you. This Horde is stronger than you think."

"The only reason you are Warchief is because Gul'dan was able to manipulate your weaknesses."

"Hold your tongue boy!" said Blackhand angrily. "I am Warchief because I am strong. Even you fear me, but you're too much of a coward to admit it. You'd give anything to be on the Horde throne, but you just can't bring yourself to fight me for it." He spat on the floor. "Pathetic."

"That is where you are wrong my friend. I do not desire your throne or your title. That much power changes orcs, and not for the better."

The Warchief glared at Orgrim and didn't speak.

The young orc shifted his weight to the other foot nervously, trying to think of something else to talk about because he knew if this conversation went on that it would end in bloodshed. The awkward silence was painful. "So Blackhand, is this Blackwall project a prison then?"

The Warchief let out a long breath. "I guess you could call it that," he said, looking away. I chose a spot in the grasslands of Mulgore. That is where I am having the Blackwall facility built."

"Oh," said Orgrim. "So this project has already begun?"

"Yes. I had Tagar take his Bonechewers to clear out the valley so the peons could start construction a few weeks ago. They should be finished any day now."

"So what is this Blackwall facility exactly?"

"It is a mostly just a giant wall around the valley, an impenetrable barrier to keep them inside. A place in Kalimdor where we can control the Draenei until we figure out what their true intentions here are. I didn't want to build Blackwall near our great city, but I wanted the place to still be close enough to monitor them, so Mulgore worked perfectly."

"Aren't those lands home to the Tauren tribes?"

"We asked them to vacate," answered Blackhand.

"And how did their High Chieftan take to that?"

"That is none of your concern. I am handling it."

Orgrim looked at his Warchief skeptically. "How much of their land did you take? How big is this prison?"

"Large enough to hold all of the Draenei and any other races that think they can stop the progress of the Horde." The Warchief snapped his mouth shut on his last word.

"Have there been others?" Orgrim was looking at him sideways.

The Warchief waved his hand as if shooing a fly. "That is also none of your concern. I will share with you what I feel you need to know and nothing more. Quit trying to pry information out of me. I am the Warchief not you. I make the decisions for the good of all orcs."

"True, but have your decisions created a feud with the Tauren?"

"What difference does it make? All of central Kalimdor looks the same. They shouldn't care if we move them a few miles down the road to the Barrens. Besides, we need to deal with the real problem, which is those Draenei. They have been a thorn in our side ever since they invaded our home world and started colonizing our planet. They made it awfully hard on our ancestors. Consider this Blackwall project payback for all the trouble they caused our people. Bunch of savages they are."

"That sounds a bit insensitive. You should really speak to their Prophet. And while you're at it, maybe you could be civil and diplomatic with the Tauren as well. Those grasslands are sacred to them. You should at least meet with their Chieftain personally."

"We don't have time for that," said Blackhand. "The Draenei problem is getting out of control. It was them who created this mess. It will serve them right."

"I stioll don't understand how they are at fault in this, but tell me more about how you plan on sustaining this Blackwall project. We know nothing about running such an establishment. Where did you get such a ridiculous idea from?"

"It's not ridiculous. It is a solid undertaking. I've thought about every other possible option and this is the best. The Draenei are a menace that needs to be dealt with properly."

"Do you even hear yourself? You sound like a lunatic. With all due respect, it doesn't seem like the best idea. You've always been good under pressure. I'm sure that you'll think of something better. Just give it some more time."

"I can't. It's too late. They've already built it. If I scrapped the plan now it would be a huge waste."

"It already sounds like a huge waste to me. An undertaking of that magnitude must've been extremely expensive. Where did you get the gold? And who did you get to staff a facility that size? Do you really think that this Blackwall idea was the right move to make for the good of the Horde?"

"I understand your concerns, but trust me. There is nothing to worry about. The Horde will thank us when it's all said and done. We will be swimming up to our necks in gifts. And as for the staff, we can let Warden Tagar deal with hiring the right people."

"Tagar is a loose cannon. This whole project seems reckless to me."

"You haven't even begun to see reckless Orgrim," said the Warchief. "But sometimes we have to take risks to solve big problems and the Draenei are a big problem. I promise you again that this is the right move."

"If you insist," said Orgrim. "I don't like the sound of it, but I'll support you and your decisions for now until we can devise a better strategy. Is there anything I can do for you before I go?" he added.

"No," said the Warchief, flopping down into his chair again. "Just get out of my sight. And bring back Zalinne."

"I was only trying to offer my assistance. I know that the mantle you bear is a difficult one."

Blackhand exhaled deeply again and propped his foot up. "You're a good advisor Orgrim, but you have no idea how difficult being the Warchief can be. Sometimes I just need a break from feeling like the most important orc in the world."

Orgrim looked at him with a hint of concern showing on his weary face. "But you are the most important orc in this world and it's about time you started acting like it again. I don't mean to sound blunt or disrespectful, but you need to hear this Blackhand. You can't let the Horde see you this way anymore. This moping that you are doing is not becoming of the powerful, courageous man that they know you are. Don't make them regret supporting you. They have stood by you and your decisions since the beginning of your reign. So let's not waste their confidence in us. They need a strong leader now more than ever."

"I know that Orgrim, but you have to understand how taxing this whole situation is. It is difficult to go on normally every day with a smile on my face when I know that those Draenei are out there plotting against us. Sometimes I just want to scream."

"I still have no idea why this is causing you so much grief, but if you need to yell out, then do it," said Orgrim. "I won't stop you. Maybe you need to just let it out. It might help you feel better."

"I doubt it," said the Warchief.

"You should try. Venting always seems to help me when I'm feeling frustrated."

"Screaming in the middle of night would raise an alarm. Guards would be swarming this stronghold in seconds. I will be fine."

"You don't sound fine to me. You must be losing your mind to even be considering such a drastic venture like Blackwall. I can't believe I almost jumped on board with this. I don't even know all the details and I can see that it is a huge mistake. Not only did you waste countless amounts of gold and risk our reputation, but you drove the Tauren away from their homes and destroyed a beautiful part of Kalimdor by building a massive eyesore on top of it. And to make matters worse, you plan to just let some canabalistic, fel orc handle all of the staffing. I'm disappointed in you Blackhand. I thought you were smarter than this. Making rash decisions is what a child would do. Your clouded mind is really scaring me. You're starting to sound completely delusional. May the Gods help me as I attempt to salvage this tragic situation." He stood up to walk out of the room.

"Don't use that condescending tone with me," the Warchief said, pulling Orgrim back down to his chair. "I had no other choice. We had no other choice. This was the right step for all of us. Besides, the Draenei deserve everything that's coming to them."

"Not in my eyes. I'm not sure that I can support this Blackhand. It doesn't seem right."

"Then I guess this is where we part ways. Is that what you suggest we do?" The Warchief sat forward and was breathing loudly. His tone had deepened into one of slight anger. "I am offering you a piece of history here. Take it or leave it. The choice is yours. I can easily replace you, but I don't want it to come to that. We've been friends for a long time."

"Enough already!" Orgrim screamed. "This will be the death of me. I feel sick even picturing the gross amount of lives that could be lost if this goes badly."

"I don't need your permission or approval anyway. We are through speaking about this tonight. Sleep on it and we can talk in the morning. You'll come around if you know what's good for you. I'd hate to lose a valuable advisor, but if you're out then you're out. Oh, and don't you even think about telling what we have discussed to anyone else on the shadow council or my wife. I will inform them all myself. It will only give them cause to worry if you break the news to them under your current condition. You haven't fully thought this through. Once you mull it over you will see that this is the right thing to do. We must be strong and unified. Now go! I want to be alone."

Orgrim rose from his chair again and walked to the door. He placed his hand on the large, wooden frame and then laid his head on top of the hand. Whispering, he said, "May the Ancestors help us all." He then opened the door, turned, and scurried down the corridor out of sight, muttering to himself as he ran.

CHAPTER FOUR

The Warchieft got up from his chair and walked slowly over to the fireplace. He bent down and lifted one of the leather boots to his vision and inspected it, turning it around in his hands. Then he heard a voice in his head, one that had come to him many times before. It always came at the most inopportune times, spitting its twisted lies into his ears.

These boots have served you well. If only Orgrim could be more like them; rugged and sturdy. Yet now uneasiness beckons at your door once again. What will it take to quell his plagued thoughts and bring peace to your heart and mind once again? How will you stop the sundering of this Horde before it grows too strong to handle? What must a ruler like you do to extinguish the flames of treason that turn his heart to blackness?

Blackhand pounded a fist on the wall and started to weep. "Get out of my head," he sobbed. "Leave me alone."

"Who are you talking to my sweet?" a womanly voice uttered. "You should save your tears for another day. They do you no good here."

He looked up and used his empty hand to wipe the dampness from his reddening cheeks. "Urukal," he said, looking surprised to see his wife. "I wasn't expecting you. May I offer you something to drink?" He began to move towards a decanter of wine that sat on a nearby table.

"That won't be necessary Blackhand dear," she said. "I don't plan on being here long, but Orgrim said that you needed me, so I came to your chambers. What can I do to help ease your stress?" The homely orcish woman walked over to her husband and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. The fingers were pudgy and short with dark, broken nails that curved into points at the tips.

"I am just fine," said Blackhand, closing his eyes and trying to subdue his anger for Orgrim.

This was not exactly the reaction Urukal had wanted to invoke in him. She hated seeing him so down, which was more often than not these days. It seemed like all he ever did anymore was lounge around his chambers, drinking his wine and dealing with his inner demons.

Earlier that night, Urukal had stripped out of her dress and began fishing through the drawers in her room. Over the years as wife to the Warchief, Urukal had acquired a large amount of clothes and shoes. Blackhand had given her a separate room in the Stronghold to keep all of her things in, but lately she had been using it more and more as her bedroom. They rarely slept in the same bed anymore.

Blackhand had become very distant, especially after the Draenei appeared on Azeroth. He had his hands full with his new responsibilities and his mind always seemed to be somewhere else. Most likely he was thinking about that whore elf he had pulled from a Harem in Silvermoon City to be his secretary. Urukal didn't mind the elf girl at first because it seemed to put Blackhand in a better mood. But now it was like her husband wasn't even trying to hide his affair. Of course she knew he was unfaithful and it caused her heart to ache, but what could she do?

Besides, she herself had been avoiding him a lot lately anyway. He scared her sometimes. He was so obsessed with his mantle as Warchief, almost to an abnormal degree. He rarely slept and when he did, he would wake up screaming and sweating from some horrific nightmare. Urukal suggested that he go see a healer, but he refused. He said that a goblin shrink would only draw unwanted attention from his adoring subjects. He had been building up to this for too long to have it all just disappear because someone got wind of his therapy sessions.

And so she went about her business as more of his servant than his wife or lover. She ran errands for him, wrote his speeches, made sure he got to all of his appointments, and even managed to find time to make him dinner most nights. He showed his appreciation by showering her with gifts, but that wasn't what she wanted. She wanted to feel close to him again, like they used to be when she first met him. She longed for that level of intimacy again and not just the physical intimacy. She needed the emotional availability, the spiritual support, and the social interaction that went beyond small talk and work related issues. But sadly, it wasn't that way anymore and maybe never would be again.

It had been at least 3 months since they had been intimate. And even then it was just meaningless sex. He just did his thing and then rolled over without even a saying a word. There was no foreplay or anything that resembled him trying to pleasure her. It was as if he just needed a stress release and she was his means to an end. He didn't make love to her the way that he used to. In fact, it had been a long time since they had done anything in bed that she would consider to be making love. It was just quick, boring sex. He must've been saving his energy and passion for the elf Zalinne.

Urukal had hoped that tonight would be different. Sadly it was not. As she tried to seduce him, Blackhand stood up and brushed her hand away. He turned and gave her a slight kiss at the corner of her mouth. "Not tonight. Sometime soon though. I promise."

Urukal had been defeated. Even after all she had done to ensure a successful evening, she had been thwarted. There would be no making love between them, not even any sex. Maybe there wouldn't ever be any. Not in the near future at least. She gave her husband a small smile and then stepped back out into the hallway, closing the door behind her. Tonight she would go to sleep again by herself. It was not the last night she would sleep alone.

The elf Rogue Zalinne moved through the shadows of the Stronghold. She was careful to conceal herself when entering the chambers of the Warchief. She made an effort to not raise suspicions as to why she was visiting him so late at night. When there were no shadows to hide her thin frame, she would use her rogue abilities and vanish completely. She was in a state of disappearance when she passed the female orc in the hallway. Urukal was crying softly into her hands as she sluggishly moved away from the Warchief's chambers. Zalinne stopped and pushed herself against the wall just in case her movement would cause noise. She waited patiently as the sobbing mess of an orc walked by and then crept towards the door herself.

Even though Orgrim had not informed her of Blackhand's current desire for her, Zalinne had sensed on her own that he needed her. She was good at reading situations. She was also good at manipulating the Warchief, especially under his weakened condition. Tonight she would again take control of his mantle while taking control of his body and mind. All she had to do was impress him with her beauty. It wouldn't be hard to do. She was no ugly woman in the least. She had long legs, a slender waist, and high cheekbones that always had a rose tint to them.

She had planned this encounter in advance. Earlier in the evening she had traded her usual rogue leathers for a lacey camisole from the top rack of her lingerie wardrobe. After slipping it over her head and adjusting her ample breasts into the built in support, she completed the outfit with a freshwater pearl necklace and a pair of ruby stilettos. She then walked back to her dresser and removed a pair of equally lacey and sheer undergarments from the top drawer and slipped them on. Then she pinned a flower into her golden hair and adjusted it to the right side of her head. This would complete her sexy ensemble. Blackhand would be crazy to not notice her beauty tonight.

Crazy he was.

As Zalinne shimmied down the hallway towards his chambers. The door was ajar and a warm light glowed out from the opening, casting its soft beam across the velvety hall carpet. Zalinne reached the doorframe and poked her head around the corner. Blackhand was standing across the room in front of a lit fireplace. It looked like Zalinne's chances of having a wonderful night were getting better.

She smoothed the silky material of her camisole and pushed her chest out. She had to make the right entrance or this would fail. She took a deep breath, popped out of stealth, and knocked softly on the door. Without waiting for a response, she gracefully stepped into view. She even put one leg forward, making sure to expose some creamy thigh skin. It meshed wonderfully with the dark fabric of the lingerie.

Blackhand didn't turn.

Zalinne sighed and immediately felt stupid and uncomfortable standing the way she was. She stood up straight and let the camisole fall over her waist again. Was there even any way for her to salvage this embarrassing situation at this point? Could she start over? She couldn't believe that he didn't turn around. Was her lover really ignoring her? Or maybe he hadn't heard her and it was just a simple misunderstanding. Zalinne hoped that it was the latter. She would try again.

He was at the hearth muttering something to himself. Zalinne listened and decided to do something louder than a knock at the door to get his attention. She took another step forward and cleared her throat nonchalantly to get his attention. "Are you alone?" she asked, not really expecting an answer. She could see that he was the only other person in the room and knew that he was probably practicing his speech for the morning. It was obviously an emotional address because he appeared to be crying, which he did not do often.

This time he did turn to look at her. He was holding a glass of wine and put it down on the table when he saw her. "Wow," he said. "You look amazing."

Zalinne smiled. She had impressed him. That was a good start. "Thank you sweetheart," she said in a raspy, seductive voice. "I dressed up special just for you." She closed the door behind her and did a little twirl to show off her outfit.

Blackhand made a quirky movement with his mouth. He then offered her some wine which she refused. Instead, she walked over to him and began to knead her fingers into his tense neck muscles. "That feels amazin. I might have to sit back down and let you massage me until morning," he smirked.

"I hope that you do," said Zalinne. "I've missed you."

The Warchief's smile grew larger. His mind finally left the dark place it had been stuck in all day. "Then what are you waiting for?"

Zalinne's countenance rose and her heart fluttered. She had him right where she wanted him.

CHAPTER FIVE

The evening sun, now just a fierce red spot on the horizon, disappeared below the Darnassian city skyline as the young Night Elf boy loaded the last overstuffed box into the back of the big, wagon. He pushed it further into the darkness until it came to rest next to a worn out wooden chair.

"That ought to do it," he muttered to himself as he brushed some dirt from his leather shorts. He removed the headband he was wearing and used his forearm to wipe the sweat from his hairline. Then he ran his hand through his long, teal hair and climbed up onto the back of the wagon. He looked at the pile of his family's belongings, noticed a large blanket near the front, and then jumped to grab a dangling corner to pull it over the top of everything. He missed it and had to attempt the jump twice more before being able to snatch the fabric to drape it over his stuff. Once he pulled it loose, it came billowing down over the boxes and onto the side rails of the wagon. This final jump nearly caused the boy to fall off and land in the dirt, but he was agile and managed to keep his footing.

"You should be more careful," a female voice said from behind him. "And more considerate to the neighbors. You know they have little ones that might be asleep already."

A petite woman with pink, but identical long hair, stepped outside through the door of their tree home. She was younger in age and much smaller than the boy standing by the wagon. She had a pair of lightning bolt shaped lines on her face and an amulet wrapped around her neck. She was clad in dark, leather clothes that concealed much of her tiny form.

The boy glared at his sister and then jumped down from the wagon. "I was being careful," he said snootily. "And after tonight we will never see these neighbors again, so I could care less if I wake their little brats up. Those kids have gotten on my nerves more times than I can count."

"Spoken like a true gentleman," his sister said sarcastically. "Now help me with these last few bags. We can stick them behind the seat up front. I'm sure there is room back there. Mother wants to head out tonight instead of waiting until morning."

"Easy for her to say, she won't be the one sailing all the way to Azuremyst Isle." The boy pointed towards the ships in the harbor. "I don't even want to go to that place, yet she is forcing me to come with her. The least she could do is hire a real sailor to take us there. I'm not very good at it yet."

"Well you need the practice," said her mother. "And you also know that we can't afford to just hire someone. So quit whining and just accept the fact that we are moving. I know you don't like it, but it's about time you got used to it. We sail tonight. You'll be fine. If you need a break we can switch off every couple of hours. I can steer the boat. How hard can it be?"

"It's not easy Maleeah. I don't think you could handle it. I will take us there. I'm the man of this family, so I'll suck it up. It's only a day at sea."

"That's the spirit." Maleeah smiled. "We are a family and families endure. I was a little worried at first when mother mentioned that we might be leaving. I didn't like the idea of being away from my friends, but I can survive anything with my family. And I can always make new friends. Maybe those alien people are nice. What were they called again?"

"Draenei," said the boy. "And if you plan on making friends with them, you might want to stop calling them aliens."

"Sorry Ashe. You're right. That would not be good as a first impression." The girl put her arm around her brother and pulled him in close for a hug. "I just want you to know that I'm here for you if you ever want to talk about anything."

"Well I don't," said Ashe. "Can we just get going already?"

"You don't have to be rude." Maleeah scratched her head and looked back at their tree house. "I wonder what's taking mother so long."

At that very moment another elf emerged from the door with a box in hand. "This is the last one," she said, handing it to her son.

"So, are we really shipping off tonight?" he asked, loading the last box. "Maleeah said you wanted to set sail."

"I wanted to at least get the wagon loaded onto the boat," said the mother. "If the waters look mild enough for you I'd like to start sailing tonight. If not, then we can just as easily do it tomorrow morning."

"Sounds good to me," Maleeah added. "Elune will bless us with smooth sailing."

Their mother hopped up onto the seat and motioned for her son to hitch the wagon to the pack horse. She looked out at the sunset and smiled. Even though it was midsummer and still fairly warm for Darnassus, she was wearing a lengthy, white shawl and an equally long robe. A slight breeze lifted strands of her thin, pink hair out behind her like spider's silk. She raised a gloved hand and tucked the waving strands behind her pointed ear. She then let out a sigh and leaned back to see if her children were ready. "Do you think we'll miss it here?" she called out to her son.

Ashe poked his head up from between the horses, sweat dripping from his brow. "Maybe some parts of it," he answered. "This has been our home since father passed on. We've got a lot of good memories here." He paused for a second. "Also, some bad ones," he added.

"And it is Darnassus," Maleeah said, joining the conversation. "It's one of the most beautiful places in the world and being the biggest city in the area; there is a lot to do here."

"There's plenty to do around Azuremyst as well," her mother said with a grin. "And I've heard that it is just as beautiful if not more so."

Maleeah busted out laughing. "Better than here? Who has been telling you such lies mother?"

"Truer words have never been spoken," The elf woman said. "I heard them from the Priestess herself."

"That's wonderful then," Maleeah said sarcastically. "Oh well, even if it's not as beautiful as here, at least it's a change of scenery and that can be nice sometimes. Anyway, I'm ready whenever you two are."

"Then let's say our final goodbyes to our old life," Ashe said. He walked over to the house and put his hand on the door frame. He rubbed his fingers up the splintered wood and let out a sigh. "Good Riddance to this eyesore. Getting out of this house is at least one good reason to be moving to a new place."

"This house isn't that bad," his mother said. "And we aren't abandoning it for good. We can come back to visit and stay here any time we want. This house has served us well for many years. Sure it's old and not in the best of conditions compared to most others in the city, but you know I didn't make a lot of money working odd jobs after your father passed away. Well that's all about to change. The Priestess has made me the official Ambassador to the Draenei people. It will have its perks. Besides, this house here was better than living on the street."

"Not much better. Look at the condition it's in," said Maleeah. "This house has definitely seen better days."

They both laughed.

"I guess that's our cue to leave," said Ashe.

"Agreed," said their mother.

Ashe took one last look at the little tree house, closed the door, and then piled onto the only seat of the wagon, squeezing up next to his mother and sister. It was a little crowded, but they made it work with what little room they had. After snapping the reigns they rode away, not looking back.

The trip to the docks felt long and the night air was still fairly hot the entire time they were riding. The wagon, loaded from the floor with their entire lives, creaked along at a low speed, making the trip seem to drag on even longer. They left the Darnassus city limits and were able to make it to the harbor where a few dock workers helped them steer the horses onto the boat. After that they set sail for Azuremyst Isle.

CHAPTER SIX

"I had another dream Grandfather." Navirra was standing on a ramp that led into the Prophet's council chamber.

Velen had his back to his granddaughter and was watching a moth dance from one of his weathered hands to the other. He appeared to be ignoring her, but his ears were open and his mind churning.

"Did you hear me grandfather?"

The old Draenei turned around and smiled. The moth fluttered around his finger for a brief moment and then disappeared upward. "Warm welcome to you Navirra my sweet," he said in his calm, yet powerful voice.

"And to you," she replied, giving a slight bow of respect. When she looked back up she could see that he had again turned around and was pacing towards a bookshelf built into the Naaru ship's wall. "I had another dre…" she began again.

"They are not dreams Navirra," he interrupted, still facing the opposite direction. "They are visions of light."

Navirra shook her head in confusion. She began to move towards the old Draenei. "What do they mean?" she asked. "And from whom do they come? Are the Naaru trying to speak to me?"

"It would seem so," her grandfather answered. He stopped strolling and began searching the shelves for a book.

"But why me? What could they want? I don't understand the dreams."

"Visions," Velen corrected. "They are visions dear. And in time you will come to understand. The Naaru see greatness in you. A greatness that will bless our people and all people of this world."

"That doesn't help me now," she retorted. "I need answers now. How am I supposed to help others if I can't even interpret my own dreams?"

"Patience child. The Naaru are guiding your destiny. It is not an easy task. It will take some time."

Navirra sat down in a chair. Her legs were feeling weak and shaky. She looked up with tears in her eyes. "Grandfather I am scared. I don't want this burden."

The Prophet found the book he was searching for, a dusty, old tome bound in leather straps with dull, bronze buckles. He retrieved it from the shelf and walked over to Navirra, placing a loving hand on her shoulder.

"Tell me Navirra, what was your dream?"

Navirra wiped the tears from her eyes and sat up straight in the chair. "Most of them are blurry and unfocused. There are shadowy figures, but I can't make out who they are. And voices, lots of voices, but none of them are familiar and the language is foreign to me."

"Go on," said Velen, undoing the clasps on the tome. "Tell me everything."

Navirra took a hold of his hand and squeezed it. "The figures are endless, stretching on in all directions. They close in around me like a black cloud. But the cloud is not air. It is water. Thick, black water. Cold, black water. It grows darker until I am floating under the surface. The frigid liquid beats against me, its dense weight is almost unbearable. It fills my lungs and I can feel the pressure beginning to crush me from the inside. Like icy hands strangling the very breath of life out of me."

The Prophet begins flipping through the pages of the old book. "Continue my darling."

"Then, at the very moment where I feel completely hopeless, like nothing can save me from the torment and darkness. That is when I feel the warmth. It fills me, growing from my core and emanating like a raging fireball through my limbs and beyond. The brightness and heat consumes me entirely and then bursts forth, piercing through the darkness with the most brilliant light I have ever witnessed. It is so beautiful grandfather." Another tear falls down her smooth cheek. This one from joy, not sadness.

"It truly is beautiful," Velen says, handing the tome to Navirra. "The Naaru have chosen you." He turns the book so that a page is exposed that has a picture of a shield on it. He taps his finger on the image.

Navirra looks up at him. "What is this grandfather?"

"This is your destiny Navirra. Your calling."

Navirra looked down at the picture and then back up. "I don't understand. What are you showing me?"

"That shield is the crest of an ancient order among our people. It is an organization that has long been forgotten by your generation, but the Naaru have called you to bring it back. You will wield that great power once again. As a weapon, as a bandage, as a shield. You will defend our people from the growing darkness of this world. You will be the light in the darkness. You will be a Paladin."

CHAPTER SEVEN

The night sky was clear and the stars were shining down upon a storage yard near the processing facility inside the walls of Blackwall. Outside of the main building there was an alleyway where a covered wagon was parked next to a large pile of wooden crates. There was a small, stone staircase of about six steps near the wagon leading up to a metal door at the back of the building. Light was coming from a tiny square window in the top center of the door and the shape of a head could be seen silhouetted against it from inside. The door swung open and a woman with platinum blonde hair stepped out into the alley followed by Thugo Bonegrinder and an older female orc of equal size and weight, duly named Large Marge. The two hefty orcs were carrying a bloody sheet with a body inside.

"Stick the body in the wagon and then go back inside to clean up the mess," the woman with blonde hair said to the others. "I can't continue to work here with blood on the floor in the conference room. Make it quick. I need to get some sleep tonight. It has been a long day and I am feeling wiped out. We want no evidence of tonight's events left behind, so as soon as you're done inside I want you to take this corpse and bury it with the others."

"Our day has also been long and we are tired too," Large Marge said rudely. "And by the way, I am getting tired of taking orders from a puny wench like you. Where is the Warchief?"

The blonde elf sneered at the chunky orc.

"Don't worry Zalinne," Thugo said, stepping between them. "We will take care of everything. Go upstairs and get some rest."

"Can I trust the two of you? You already made one mistake by letting Orgrim know about this place without permission from the Warchief."

"That wasn't my fault," Thugo piped in. "It was Tagar who said it, but he didn't even know Orgrim was being kept in the dark. After all, he is a chief advisor to Blackhand. Tagar assumed he already knew. Plus, Tagar was drunk on strong mead at the time."

"Do you think that justifies his stupidity?" Zalinne was staring at him with fury building in her eyes.

"Well no," Thugo said, hanging his head in shame.

"You make mistakes too," said Marge rudely. "Like this right here." She held up her corner of the bloody sheet. "You think killing Tauren is wise? Quit being a hypocrite."

Zalinne leapt down from the landing and drew a long, curved dagger from her waistband, jabbing it towards the orc. "The Tauren are all filthy flies to be swatted out if they get in our way. And just so we are clear, you will take orders from me. The Warchief was very specific about his instructions on this situation. I run the show around here. Remember that if you want to go on breathing through that pig snout of yours."

Large Marge took a step back and almost dropped the body. "I'll play along for now little elf, but one day you and I will meet on the battlefield."

"I welcome the thrill." Zalinne whispered, tucking her blade away. She turned back to Thugo. "If you help me, then Blackhand helps you and we all prosper together. If you want to continue working for the Warchief then I suggest you do exactly as you're told and quit making stupid mistakes."

"Understood," said Thugo. "I would like to lead the first ambush on the Draenei. When does Warchief Blackhand plan to strike?"

"I will let you know when he informs me. For now, finish up your work here. We want this place to be ready for when we bring the Draenei here." With that she walked back into the building and left the other two standing there in the alleyway holding the sheet.

"Let's get this body into the wagon. These filthy cows are heavy and we have some blood to clean up inside," Thugo said to Marge.

"I can't believe that elf whore just killed this one for speaking out of turn. Don't you think that she's getting a bit reckless?" Large Marge said, popping a handful of tobacco into the space between her crooked bottom teeth and her lip. "What do you think?"

Thugo didn't answer. He despised working with Marge and couldn't understand why she had been hired by the Warchief in the first place. She wasn't in good physical shape and always burned out too quickly. Plus she had a weird limp from some injury she sustained when she was younger that made her waddle even more than she already did because of her size. And she was an ugly person, inside and out. Aside from the patches of greasy hair on her head and the bristly hint of a mustache on her upper lip, the orc woman had a disgusting attitude and a horrible comment about everything.

Marge cleared her throat. "Well, what are your thoughts on this?" she repeated, spitting a wad of sticky, brown dip out the side of her mouth.

"I don't know and I don't care. If Zalinne wants to play by her own rules, then it's her business. Just do your job and quit asking questions. You heard her. We all prosper together if we just do what we're told."

"I heard her, but that doesn't mean that I have to agree with everything she says. I can have my own opinions on things."

"Well don't voice them to Zalinne," said Thugo. "That kind of stuff will get you fired…or worse."

"Well you know as well as I do that we are not dealing with honest, good people here. This Horde is run by crooks." She spit again, some of the chew dribbling out onto her knobby chin. She wiped it away with the back of her pudgy hand.

"But they pay well so I don't argue," said Thugo. "My secrets are all I have to call my own Marge. Don't worry about what I think. Simply enjoy the benefits of the luxurious life that they have shared with us."

"I do enjoy it," Marge said, feeling embarrassed. "I just wish Zalinne would be more careful with these petty executions. The Tauren will not sit by idly forever. And I wish Zalinne would appreciate us a little more for the hard work we do for her."

"We must trust her and we must trust the Warchief. They have never led us astray. We must hold onto the hope that they have our better interests at heart in all of this. We have to see the big picture Marge."

Marge shied away in defeat. "Fine," she said. "Come on. Let's dump this body. I'm tired and I don't want to still be out here if Zalinne comes back."

The two of them hauled the sheet over to the wagon and swung it into the back. They covered it with a clean blanket, turned around, and walked back to the stairs. Before going back inside Marge looked back at the wagon and sighed. She then followed Thugo inside and the door closed behind them.

CHAPTER EIGHT

"You're sailing skills have improved Ashelar," said the Night Elf woman to her son.

"Please don't call me that mom. Can you please try to call me Ashe? Ashelar is so formal and it was what father used to call me. Every time I hear it I think of him. That name was our special thing."

"Well, we both gave you your name, so technically I should be able to call you whatever I prefer just like he did."

"Don't give me that lecture again." The conversation diverted to being about his father and Ashe was trying to end the uncomfortable feelings it introduced. The subject of his father had too many bittersweet memories attached to it, memories of times he had spent with his father before the magic had corrupted him and eventually led to his untimely death at the Well. "Why don't you go down below and join Maleeah for some breakfast. We are almost there. I can see it faintly on the horizon. Please eat now so I won't have to wait for you to do it when we land. I want to get off of this boat as soon as possible."

"Why, don't you like sailing anymore?"

Ashe gave his mother an annoyed look. "I just want to get settled quickly, that's all."

"Why are you so eager to avoid this new place? Moving is not a bad thing. It might actually turn out to be the best thing that has ever happened to us as a family."

"If our new home is anything like this rickety boat, then I don't want anything to do with it."

"Oh quit being such a skeptic. Wait until you see it. I'm sure you'll like it more than you think. We can wait to judge Azuremyst once we get there and see it with our own eyes."

"I don't particularly want to see it," said Ashe. "I was just fine in Darnassus."

"Why are you so scared of new things? It's not like the Draenei people are bloodthirsty killers. They don't wander around and sneak into your house to murder you in your sleep."

"Really mother? How can you say that after what happened to father? Besides, I'm not afraid of them. I am just a creature of habit and I don't like change."

"All I'm saying is that if you were scared, I want to reassure you that Azuremyst Isle is a nice place. Better than most parts of Kalimdor in fact. I've done a lot of research on our new home and the surrounding area. I wanted to know what we were getting ourselves into. There is no need to worry."

"I know. I already told you that I'm not afraid. I'm just not as curious as you," said Ashe trying to end the conversation. He found that he was doing that more and more often with his mother. Most of their talks led to fighting and Ashe would rather avoid extra stress if possible.

"Anyway," his mother said with a roll of her eyes. "If you don't trust me then just ask the Priestess when we get there today. She will be on the docks to welcome us and she would know first-hand if it was a nice place or not."

"She is the expert on everything," said Ashe.

"I definitely don't envy her job at all," said his mother. "Or I guess I should say my job, since I am one of her Ambassadors now. I can't believe I actually agreed to working in politics. I hate politics."

"Don't knock it until you try it. It might be kinda fun," said Maleeah, rising up from beneath the ship. "The constant adrenaline will sure keep you on your toes."

"As if I need any more of that in my life. Maybe I shouldn't have accepted the offer from the Priestess."

"Don't look a gift-horse in the mouth. It might not be as bad as you think," said Maleeah, trying to comfort her mother. "You might even find that it's your calling in life. Maybe you'd even like it enough that you would want to be on the Alliance Council with the human King some day after you've worked for the Priestess a little while. She could put in a good word for you with her buddies across the sea."

"I don't think so Maleeah. I would never want that and even if I did, I'm pretty sure you'd at least need to be human, which I am not."

"You're never too old to try," Maleeah said with a raised eyebrow.

"Are you saying I'm old? Why don't you go work for the human King? You're the one who seems so interested. Besides, they could never resist your charm."

"What charm?" Maleeah said jokingly. "I'm about as charming as a murloc with a mustache."

"Don't talk about my daughter that way," said the woman. She laughed. "My daughter is the most beautiful princess in the land."

"Funny mother," Maleeah said before turning to her brother. "We almost there yet?"

Ashe nodded, pointing towards the front of the boat. "There she is. Azuremyst Isle. Our new home."

The island was actually a series of islands, much larger than the one they had left the night before. And they were beautiful just as their mother had said they would be. The rocky shoreline rose to evergreen trees and other smaller shrubbery covered in blossoming, pink flowers. There were stags and great cats roaming through the trees and they could be seen from the boat because of how numerous they were. Just beyond the dock was a giant vessel that had crashed into the side of a mountain. It was covered in jagged, purple crystals.

Maleeah stepped up onto the steering platform next to her brother to get a better view. "Is that their ship?" she asked.

"Yes Maleeah. It is called the Exodar," said her mother, joining them. "And that is the Draenei Prohet Velen with Priestess Amara there on the docks."

Maleeah looked at the figure standing near the Priestess. He was very tall and thin, but wore a robe much like the one the Priestess was wearing. It was clean and white, covered in symbols that Maleeah could not read. The Prophet has skin the color of plums and hair that matched his snowy, white beard. Under the facial hair there were long, pointed extensions of skin that looked like tentacles. But it still didn't make the man seem frightening. In fact, there was a warm, kindness to his stoic face.

"And look," said their mother. "There is a familiar face." She was pointing at another Night Elf who was standing just to the right of the others under a little tent. "It's Shalannius, you're druid teacher. He came along to make sure you wouldn't miss any lessons in your training."

"Great," Maleeah said sarcastically. "Just what I wanted."

"So when are we gonna go check out our new house?" Ashe was practically jumping out of the boat with excitement now that he had seen ho wonderful of a place the Draenei island was.

"Calm down sweetie," his mother said with a laugh. "We will get to the house soon, but first I wanted to meet up with these important people. They have taken the time to welcome us here. Let us be good guests."

"Where should I dock the boat then?" asked Ashe who was sailing slowly along the shore waiting for a response. "Do I need to anchor here or pull in closer?"

"Move right up to the main dock. Keep going towards the pier near the Exodar."

Ashe did as he was told and stopped the boat. They were immediately boarded by Draenei Peacekeepers who began to help them unload the wagon. The rest of the day seemed like a blur. Ashe and Maleeah didn't remember much of what happened before they settled into the Inn inside the Exodar for the night.

CHAPTER NINE

Navirra was eating a small lunch of various cheeses and a butter croissant inside the Exodar café when she saw the overloaded wagon pull into the main atrium. She turned to her friends who were sitting across the table form her and gave a nod towards the giant, glass window that opened towards the front of the ship. Kriin put down her berry drink and followed the direction of the nod. "Is that the new elven Ambassador?" she asked.

"It would be a funny coincidence if it wasn't," replied Jemiini. She stood up, wiped the corner of her mouth with a napkin, and pushed her chair in, bending slightly at the knees to smooth the wrinkles form her breeches. She was a professional woman who liked to wear rugged clothing rather than the fancy, lacey things that most girls wore. She had a certain demeanor and image to uphold, being a member of the Warrior Guild. Today she was in a tailored, charcoal-colored mail suit with matching gray boots that were barely seen under the bell-shaped legs of her breeches.

She was somewhat intimidating in her appearance. She looked tough and sophisticated, but still feminine. She was tall, much more so than her friends Navirra and Kriin, and she had broader, more defined shoulders and hips. Jemiini was also quite beautiful in an odd way. She had a striking, professional look and her beauty was not only physical either. It seemed to fill her outwards and in. Despite her slightly intimidating appearance, she was warm-hearted and polite. She also didn't hesitate to make strangers feel instantly like family when she spoke, which she intended to do with the elven family.

The three Draenei girls left the dining area and walked outside to the wagon. They first noticed a young girl elf with brilliant pink hair that was bunched up into a bun on the back of her head. The hair was such a deep pink color that it nearly matched the few light freckles lining the bridge of her nose. Then they saw the driver, a young, male elf with dusky skin, the color of night. He had hair that was equally as bright, but it had a hue like that of the pristine waters that surrounded their island. He was very attractive, even though he seemed much too young for any of them.

"Hi, I'm so glad you made it here safely." Jemiini bent towards the driver and extended her hand. "You are much more youthful than I had imaged. How long have you been an Ambassador for your people?"

Ashe was confused at first and then he realized what was happening. "Oh no, you are mistaken. I am not the Ambassador. That would be my mother Opalora Rainstrider. She is the woman over there with your Prophet." He jutted his thumb out in the direction of his mother.

Jemiini dropped her hand and stepped back a step to see who the boy was pointing at. "Oh," she said embarrassed.

"I'm not sure if that was a good compliment or not," Ashe said with a big smile, drawing the attention of the Draenei girls back to him.

"Of course it was," replied Navirra. She looked past Jemiini and waved at Ashe. "And how are you fairing this fine day?"

Ashe blushed and grinned. "We are very well. Your people are very welcoming. I think that I will enjoy being here."

"That's not what you said on the way here," Maleeah interrupted.

Ashe gave her a nudge with his elbow. "Don't ruin this for me," he mumbled under his breath.

Navirra noticed and made a silly smirk. There were matching dimples in her cheeks that bloomed when she smiled. "Well you are most welcome here. After all, this was your world before we came. I apologize for any hardships our people have caused."

"Thank you," Ashe said sheepishly.

"Well, we won't keep you any longer," said Jemiini. "I'm sure you have some settling in to do. It was a pleasure to meet you. Many blessings upon you and your family." She turned to her friends. "Come girls."

"Wait!" Kriin shrieked. "Why are we leaving so soon after meeting our new Ambassador and her family? Why don't we give them a tour of the Exodar?"

"I supposed we could," replied Jemiini. "If they are not opposed." She looked to Ashe for confirmation.

"That would be wonderful," he said. "Let me just inform our mother and then we can check out your ship." He led the horses over to a fenced area and positioned the wagon at the back, so as to not disturb any of the Elephant-like creatures that were already penned there.

Maleeah strolled over to the Draenei. "Jemiini, will you please explain to my brother that Azurmyst Isle isn't a horrible place? Tell him that there is plenty to do around here."

"I don't need her to convince me," said Ashe, hopping down from the wagon. "I can see its beauty with my own eyes."

"You didn't want to come?" Navirra asked.

"Well, I really liked my old training school and I had friends back in Darnassus. I lived there for most of my life. I guess I prefer to be in familiar surroundings."

"Well this ship is basically a city and it is just like most other cities its size. You'll be enjoying all of the same amenities that you were used to back home in Darnassus in no time. And my Grandfather is the Prophet, so he can make sure you are comfortable here. If there is anything you or your mother need here, do not hesitate to ask," said Navirra.

"Our mother will be very busy I'm sure, so we will have a lot of free time. What is there to do around here?" asked Maleeah.

"What did you do back where you came from?" asked Jemiini.

"We were training to become Druids," answered Ashe. "It will help us to one day be able to heal the world and rid it of the corruption our ancestors caused."

"Corruption?" questioned Kriin.

"It's a long story," answered Ashe. "But Druid school took up most of our time in Darnassus. I'm not sure how much of it we will be able to continue here."

"We are all in training here as well, you know," said Jemiini. "After the crash our leaders wanted us to be able to protect ourselves in case this world was hostile. We formed the Guilds and each of us has joined one to train so that we can better serve the society as a whole. I am part of the Warrior Guild. We are the front line defenders and the most skilled in all sorts of weaponry."

"She only joined it because my brother Khaiss is also a warrior and she has loved on him since we were little." Navirra winked at Jemiini. "I have yet to join a Guild, but Kriin is a member of the Shamans. She wants to use her talents to heal our wounded."

"That sounds cool," replied Ashe. "Shamans must be like Druids in a way. We also have the ability to mend injuries. It is called the Healing Touch. I am still developing mine, but Maleeah has already mastered it and she is so young. It is a great accomplishment."

"Well then I know who I will be spending most of my time with," said Kriin, smiling at Maleeah. "We'll have to share our healing experiences with each other."

"Anyway, you are free to join a Guild if you'd like, although I'm not sure if we have any Druid trainers here in the Exodar."

"Actually one is already here," said Ashe. "He left from Darnassus a week before we did and he was our old instructor back home. I will meet with him and see if he wants to continue our training here."

"Great. Then that should be all you need to fill your time. And if that's not enough, there's always trade skills. I'm sure the artisans would love a strong, young man like you to help them smelt ore and craft armor."

"Well I'm not sure what I'll do just yet, but I'm ready for anything this new place can throw at me," said Ashe. "I'm just glad to have some new friends. I think my family will have a lot of success out here."

"For sure. I can't wait to get started on our new adventure," added Maleeah.

CHAPTER TEN

It had only been three days since they arrived on Azuremyst Isle and they were still nowhere near the end of their unpacking process. Maleeah had invited her new friend Kriin over to help unload some of the smaller boxes from the wagon while her mother went to the Exodar to talk business with the Prophet. The two girls had managed to clear out the entire wagon in just a few hours and even found time to take it in for some much needed repairs when they finished, but still had a great job before them.

Now they were faced with the difficult task of arranging all of their belongings into the newly renovated home in Azure Watch. The house, which was actually an escape pod from the Exodar, was much more spacious than Maleeah's previous home had been and in a lot better condition. The appliances were furnished, but otherwise the house seemed quite bare. The walls were an ominous, glossy white and the lack of pictures made the rooms appear even larger and more uninhabited. It was a challenging task to fill the pod with enough stuff that it didn't look empty.

Unpacking the boxes was almost more of a chore than packing them up had been. They were both tired, so every box felt twice as heavy as it had when Maleeah and Ashe had loaded them onto the wagon in Darnassus. Despite their exhaustion, they continued to work away at making the new home as comfortable as possible. The girls wanted Opalora to feel at ease when she came home from the Exodar.

After another couple of hours they were finally unpacked and felt like they could relax a little. They decided to brew a refreshing mint tea and take a short break in a couple of padded chairs that had been set up in the house. They did this, sharing gossip stories and laughing as if they had been friends since birth. Then Kriin offered to give Maleeah a short tour of the island. She was happy to share her knowledge with her friend and Maleeah had wanted to explore the place anyway. Kriin started by taking her to see the beach to the south.

"This place is so much better than my old home," Maleeah said, as they stepped down from the rocky cliffs onto the sandy shore. "I can't believe we didn't do this move sooner. I really needed a change of scenery and didn't even realize it until now."

"Yeah, I love it here too," added Kriin. "My old home was pretty, but at least here I feel safe."

"Why were you so scared at your old home?"

"There were some Natives there that didn't like my people. They were always stirring up trouble, but at first it was just petty squabbles and thievery."

"At first?" Maleeah was confused. "What happened?"

"Well, eventually their hatred grew and there savagery knew no bounds. It was as if something had changed in them and made them even more hostile towards us. One day they just started attacking my people. Many of us were wounded and many more were killed."

"That's terrible."

"That is why you only see young Draenei around. Most of the elders, including my parents, were slaughtered trying to defend us. It became unbearable to stay in our homes so we had to flee. That was when the Prophet Velen decided to leave that world in the Exodar. And the rest is history."

"I'm so sorry," said Maleeah. "I had no idea." She bit her lip anxiously and toed at the sand. "Well, I'm glad you made it here safely. I think you will be a lot more secure here."

"You have given me hope," replied Kriin.

Maleeah was beaming from ear to ear. "We are an unbeatable team. Nothing can stop the two of us. Let's go have some fun. I feel like playing in the water." She ran into the surf and flopped down into an oncoming wave. The water engulfed her body like an energizing blanket. It was crisp and refreshing. When she resurfaced she could see Kriin wading out, the water rushing around her hooved feet.

"Don't get too carried away," said Kriin, dipping her hands under the water and splashing at Maleeah. "Your Druid classes start tomorrow and I'm sure your mother would want you to make a good impression by being there on time and looking good."

"I'll handle the looking good part," said Maleeah with a smile. "Can't promise that I'll be on time though. Not with such nice beaches so close."

"You're so funny Maleeah," laughed Kriin. "I wished we had grown up together. It's nice having someone around to talk to for a change. Jemiini is so busy with her Warrior training and Navirra is so independent and free-spirited. She's always off somewhere doing things by herself. I know she prefers to be alone, but it would drive me crazy. I am a social girl. I need people."

"What about a Draenei man?" said Maleeah. "Do you have someone special?"

"I wish," answered Kriin. "There was this one Draenei named Aurelon. He was interesting and we did activities together once or twice, but it never really developed beyond friendship. Plus, every time I tried to get closer, I would find him hanging out with some other random girl. And when he was free, he was shadowing the instructors of the Priest Guild."

"Well that's not fun," said Maleeah. "We don't need silly boys anyway. We've got each other now."

"The two healers," said Kriin. "Me and you making the world a better place, one healing touch at a time."

"Sound great, but I would rather not talk about our training before we have to," said Maleeah with a smirk. "It just makes me sad to think that I can't be out here swimming every day."

"Then let's not waste the day. We should do some more exploring," Kriin said. "There's so much to see on this island and we don't have a ton of time. Plus your mother is going to want you home so you can get a good night's sleep for training tomorrow."

"You know her well Kriin," Maleeah said. "But I don't care about school. I want to stay up late and see the world."

"Then let's go," said Kriin as she ran towards the shoreline, pulling her friend along behind her.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The sun rose red the next morning. The beams of light seeped through the closed blinds of the pod house and landed softly upon a partially naked Draenei's beautiful face. Her skin was dark and smokey like the sky at twilight. She stirred a little under the sheets, but remained in the large bed. A soft breeze was kicking up outside and it rustled the new leaves on the branches outside of the window. Autumn was in full swing and the trees were alive with color. Vivid oranges and yellows lined the streets of Azure Watch in every direction. The blood sun steadily rose casting an eerie glow upon the trees making them appear as if they were engulfed in flame.

Jemiini couldn't see any of this yet, but she had started to toss under the blankets. They were casually wrapped around her feet and she fumbled with them, kicking her hooves underneath the fabric. "It's so hot in here," she complained. She lifted her head slightly and the pillow was covered in damp patches of sweat. "I need to move closer to the Sea or something. The fall shouldn't be this hot anywhere," she said out loud.

"Quiet down Jemiini, my head is throbbing," a toned Draenei man mumbled from the pillow next to her. He sat up, rubbing his head and Jemiini could see that he was not only shirtless, but completely naked. She gasped in shock. She had totally forgotten that she had gone home with Khaiss the night before. In fact, she didn't remember much about the previous night at all. Her hangover from the excessive wine drinking had practically wiped her memory clean. She wasn't much of a drinker usually, but occasionally she would let loose and add a few berried spirits to her usual solitary cup of honey mead. That had been a mistake and her stomach was feeling it now. Her head also felt very fuzzy, but that could've been a result of barely getting any sleep on top of all the booze. At this point, the prior night's activities were a blur, but they had definitely been exhausting for both of them.

She looked down and saw that she also had no shirt on and that she was sporting just her undergarments. She quickly grabbed the bed sheet and pulled it up to cover herself. "Khaiss did we…did we sleep together last night?"

Khaiss sat up and laughed. "Yes babe, are you kidding me? Of course we did. I'm offended that you don't remember."

"Sorry Khaiss." She blushed. "I was just surprised and a little disoriented, that's all. It's not every day that I wake up in someone else's bed. I was just clarifying the situation."

"It was your idea to come back here last night. You practically threw me onto the bed when we came in. Look at the trail of clothes we left from the door." Khaiss pointed at the various articles of clothing strewn about the room. "And what's with you asking it like that? You're acting like sleeping with me is a bad thing."

"Well, we just started courting like two weeks ago and you're the brother of one of my best friends. I think that we're moving a little fast, that's all. I must've had way too much to drink last night."

"You're such a whiner," Khaiss said sarcastically. He lifted a hand up to brush a hanging strand of blue hair from Jemiini's face. The tuft fell right back where it had been, so Khaiss gave up. "But you are amazing at everything else, so I guess I'll let you stay."

"How about we just get dressed and whip up something for breakfast. Do you have ingredients to make sugar cakes?" Jemiini batted her eyes at Khaiss seductively. She raised her own hand and began twiddling her finger through the drooping strand of hair.

"I'd love to babe," Khaiss said with a smirk. "But I have my last warrior class session this morning. I need to get ready or I'll be late. I've got a reputation to uphold, you know?"

"That's okay," she said, pouting her lips. "I guess I'll just eat them all myself. Your loss. I was even gonna throw some chocolate flakes into them if you've got any."

Khaiss smiled. "Don't tempt me. I can't skip today. I have to pass my final skirmish."

"Actually, I should probably get going too. I wouldn't want the Innkeeper to think I got abducted or anything like that." Jemiini was referring to Madam Zwill, whom she and Kriin lived with in her big room on the lower level of the Exodar. Kriin was pretty laid-back and never bothered Jemiini much, but Madam Zwill was known to create chaos out of nothing. The old Draenei woman had been raised in a very strict household on Draenor and had brought a lot of her crazy rules to Azeroth with her. She was much older than Jemiini and felt responsible for her, so she had a bunch of weird quirks that often made it difficult for Jemiini and Kriin to enjoy their social life. One of those quirks was a rule about always having 100% accountability of her girls. That meant that Jemiini was supposed to check in every night to inform the Madam where she was going to be and if she planned to be out all night. It was supposedly a safety thing since Azuremyst Isle was still mostly uncharted, but in all actuality it was more of a hassle than anything else. Regardless, Jemiini and Kriin shared a home at her Inn, so they had to abide by its rules, no matter how trivial or stupid they seemed.

"I can escort you home on my way to training if you want," Khaiss added.

"Oh that's not necessary. I think I'll take a long walk along the beach," replied Jemiini. "It's such a nice day outside and I'm dying to get out of this hot pod for some fresh air."

"I like it hot," Khaiss said with a grin.

Jemiini loved it when he smiled. It made his whole face light up and he had the cutest dimple right under his left eye. She melted every time. In fact, it was one of the reasons she accepted his offer for a date the first time she met him. "Well then I'll make sure to stop by again tonight." Jemiini slapped his rear playfully. It was firm and toned. Khaiss trained hard nearly every day and his hours of time exercising really showed.

"You're the best." Khaiss bent, kissed her once on the mouth, and then walked out to get ready for the day, strutting away nude with no shame.

Jemiini had pulled on a robe and was heading down the hall when she heard a knock on the pod's main door. She walked down the hall, pulling her short, blue hair out from the collar of the robe, and passed the bathroom where Khaiss was cleaning his teeth.

"There's someone at your door," she said, smoothing her hair into a point. "I can answer it if you want me to."

"No need. I got it." Khaiss quickly rinsed his mouth and then ran to grab a cloth undershirt from the wardrobe in his bedroom. He pulled it over his head, straightened his hair, and then ran back towards the main door.

Jemiini was watching from the bathroom and pulled her robe closed at the neck as Khaiss approached the door. She watched him peer through the peephole before opening it. "Who is it?" she called out.

The bright sun glared through the small opening and Khaiss had to step back for a moment. He rubbed his eyes and then peered through the glass again. After his eyes adjusted he could see that the entryway was empty. "Hello," he said through the door. "Is anybody there? Sorry, but we've just woken up."

There was no answer.

"Hello, is anyone there?" he asked again. He turned around and shrugged his shoulders in Jemiini's direction.

Still no answer at the door.

Khaiss hesitantly unlocked the door and opened it a tiny crack so he could look out. The entryway was indeed empty as far as he could see. He swung the door open all the way and stepped out onto the cold rocks. Looking to the right he noticed nothing out of the ordinary. He then looked to the left and saw his sister Navirra leaning against side of the pod.

"Warm wishes Navirra," he said, moving towards her for an embrace.

Navirra took a step backwards to avoid the hug. She held out her hand to stop him when he attempted to pull her in a second time. "Just take this and I'll get out of your hair," she said, looking over his shoulder and noticing Jemiini.

"What is it?" he asked, taking the box from her outstretched hand.

"A gift from Grandfather. He wanted you to have it upon your graduation from the Warrior Guild."

"Okay. Well, tell him I am grateful."

"I will," said Navirra, turning around and walking away.

Khaiss shrugged his shoulders and he turned around to head back inside. As he did, he looked down at the little package that his sister had just given him. It was about the size of a pack of gambling cards and the paper it was wrapped in was an off shade of blue. "That's odd," he said to Jemiini as he held it up so she could see. The box was sealed with some sort of a wax stamp. The imprint in the wax was the Prophet's seal. There was a letter attached to the box and the front of it was empty except for his name neatly printed in bold, ink letters.

Khaiss stepped back into the pod and closed the door. He began walking towards the bathroom grabbing a dagger from the dresser in the hall as he passed. He was looking down as he walked and nearly collided with Jemiini who had stepped into the hallway to see what he was holding. Khaiss stopped abruptly and the blade fell from his hand and stuck into the floor quivering for a minute before coming to a standing stop. The package also fell, hitting the floor with a soft thud.

Jemiini jumped backwards. "Whoa, you almost got my foot with that dagger. Be more careful silly. What is that anyway?" she asked, pointing at the letter that was still in his hand.

"I don't know exactly," Khaiss answered. "Let's open it up and find out." He bent down and retrieved the blade.

"Who is it from?"

"My Grandfather Velen," he said, picking the package up from the floor. It was actually quite heavy for such a small box. He turned it over in his hands, admiring the beautiful blue wrapping. It almost glimmered with radiance. "It looks expensive." He handed it to Jemiini.

She took it and slid her fingers under the seam, trying to pull the paper off, but it was wrapped too well. She held her hand out and Khaiss placed the dagger into her palm. It slid easily into the paper and before long the wrapper lay on the floor between Jemiini's hooves. She then opened the box to reveal a metal badge. "Wow that is nice."

Khaiss admired the craftsmanship and picked up the envelope to see if it would divulge more about the gift. He inserted his thumb nail under the top flap and lifted it up breaking the wax seal. Inside was a small piece of parchment with four sentences written on it in black ink.

Congratulations on your graduation from the Warrior Guild

Please accept this gift as a token of my love for you

You and a date are cordially invited to dine with me in the Vault of Lights to discuss it further

Love Velen

"What is that?" Jemiini said looking over his shoulder and reading the card. "Wow your grandfather is the best. I would love to accompany you to meet him."

Khaiss got a little flustered and embarrassed. "I can't believe he gave me this. It was the Peacekeeper Badge that my father used to wear when he guarded the Prophet back on Draenor."

"Your father was a Peacekeeper?" Jemiini asked.

"Yea babe. And I would love to know more about his experiences as a guard before he died."

"Of course," Jemiini said. "Then we better go to dinner with the Prophet or he'll be offended and you'll never know about your father."

"What about my sister though?" Khaiss asked sheepishly. "She'll feel bad that she didn't get invited."

"I'm sure that Velen will do the same for her once she finally chooses a Guild and sticks with it long enough to graduate."

"You're probably right," said Khaiss. "And if not, then I can share the stories with her after we speak with my Grandfather."

"That's a great idea," said Jemiini as she continued down the hall into the bedroom. "I'll support you in any decision you make."

CHAPTER TWELVE

Navirra had begun to settle into her new home and life without a hitch. She had already made some new friends, but still chose to spend most of her free time doing things with Kriin. Most of the time they did activities in the great outdoors and today was no exception. Both of them enjoyed the fresh air and sunlight more than a suffocating building.

Today they had decided to do some hiking out near the rolling hills that were south of the city. They often snuck out to a secluded area like this to play Kriin's favorite game. This was fine with Navirra because she preferred to do stuff that dirtied her clothes and gave her a few injuries to brag about. She was especially fond of this game so she had bought her own slingshot that had been modified using various household materials to make it perform better than a standard one. She even started making her own paint to save money because she played the game with Kriin so much. She was as passionate about slinging paint as her brother was at swooning girls.

Navirra was alone at the moment, standing in an open field. She breathed in some dry, mountain air and smiled. It was hot, but crisp, unlike the humid, heavy air that she was used to back on Draenor. She continued walking through the field and stopped abruptly when her feet found a trail. A steady stream of sunlight drifted lazily through the arms of some evergreen trees off to the left of the narrow path she now stood on. To her right was a cluster of wagon sized boulders, some of them as large as a ship. She could see the boulders perfectly from where she stood, but none of them were seen by Kriin who lay silently on her back in a small clearing behind her. Kriin's peripheral vision, at least on the right side, had been blotted out by a trickle of red that had slowly began to fill the socket of her right eye and down onto her swollen cheek. For a few moments she just lay on the ground motionless. The only thing that moved was her curly, black hair as the breeze swirled through it.

"Hey Kriin," Navirra called out.

There was no response and she assumed it was because she was so well hidden behind one of the boulders that her voice wouldn't carry. "Are you all right? Where are you?" she yelled. "I know I hit you. That means I win this round."

Still nothing.

Navirra stepped onto the trail and crouched in the dirt to see if she could see her friend under the sagebrush. The grass was very thick and it prevented her from seeing anything. She stood back up and beat the dust off of her pants with a faded, woolen hat and then stuffed it back on her head. She sighed and tucked a few loose strands of white hair behind her ears. Then she patted some dirt off of the over-sized black vest she was wearing. She actually looked quite ridiculous for a girl in the outfit she was wearing, but she knew that no one would see her way out in the wild and Kriin was also dressed in the same unattractive clothing. She shrugged off the feeling of embarrassment and continued her search for her friend.

She was trying to be cautious because she wasn't sure if Kriin was waiting to ambush her or not. But after a few more minutes of searching Navirra started to get a little impatient and decided to sit down next to the boulders. She leaned back against one and pulled the cap down over her eyes. "Kriin can come find me," Navirra said to herself. "I'm not playing her childish games anymore."

Just when she closed her eyes she heard off in the distance what sounded like a snare drum or some other kind of percussion instrument. Her eyes bolted open and she poked her head out from behind the boulder. "Kriin?" she called out. "Kriin, is that you?"

There was still no response.

"Where are they?" Navirra mumbled to herself. She got up and walked back towards a trail in the little clearing behind the boulders. She was moving slow through the high grass, looking both directions for any sign of her friend. The towering pines cast long shadows over her making it hard to discern the trail from the surrounding overgrowth. Despite her lack of speed she came upon an exposed rock and tripped falling face first into the dirt. Her knees hit the hard ground first and it sent a jolt of pain all the way up through her body to her jaw, rattling her teeth a little. She yelped in pain, pulling her legs towards her chest in the fetal position. "I'm so clumsy." She rubbed both knees and then sighed as she stood back up. Standing put an uncomfortable amount of pressure on her tender knees and she stumbled backwards, falling for a second time.

She sighed, waited a few moments to regain her composure, and then got back up. Then she heard the sound again, this time much closer. She turned around and shrieked when she saw the source of the noise. She was standing face to face with an angry Timberstrider and it was puffing its wings up as if preparing to charge. She hastily took a step backwards and lost her footing for the third time. She prepared herself for impact, knowing that her tailbone was about to start hurting even worse than her knees.

No impact came.

She just kept falling backwards right into a hole that she hadn't even seen through the tall grass. She continued to fall for a few seconds when her hooves came in contact with a small, cascading wall of water. Then she felt the water on the rest of her body as it poured out of the walls around her. Her pants, shirt, and the vest she was wearing were instantly soaked causing them to feel extremely heavy and suffocating. They clung to her skin like tree sap. As she fell she tried to unzip and remove the now weighted vest, hoping that by eliminating it she could slow her descent and ease the discomfort. She managed to free herself from one arm hole but her struggle caused her to whirl around spastically, her right elbow striking the wall of the cave with a crack. At the moment, the pain in her arm was barely felt because she was more worried about how long she would fall and what she would hit at the bottom.

She pulled both arms in and straightened out her body, pointing her feet. She was preparing herself for what she hoped would be water. She was right. Her hooves cut into the icy pool at the bottom like a knife. She sank fast, but never hit solid ground. The water was deep and the walls were very close on both sides. She was lucky to be alive. She stayed completely submerged for a few seconds and now her clothes felt even heavier. She struggled to orient herself in the darkness and find her way to the surface. The water was freezing cold so it took her longer than she wanted to get her muscles to relax enough so she could swim. She eventually found the top and pushed her head out, coughing and gasping for air. Her breath came out in little, white clouds. Goosebumps covered her entire body and breathing the frigid air made her lungs hurt.

"Sooo cold," she said through chattering teeth. "So cold and so dark." She couldn't even see her hand in front of her. She wiped the water from her face and tried to see if she could clear her eyes enough to see anything, but it was hopeless. I'm going to die down here and nobody even knows where I am.

She started to shiver and cry at the same time. She moved her hands to her face again to clear the hair and water away and when she was able to focus her eyes she looked around and saw that she was floating in a very narrow amount of water, which was now dimly lit in a pale light. The cave wall was being illuminated by the little bit of light that the sun made from the surface hole a couple hundred feet above her. She looked upwards and saw that she couldn't see the sky above, just light.

She was so far down in the cave that she worried about never getting back out. She started to panic a little and moved towards the side of the small pool in an effort to try and climb the wall. It was slick and wet, nearly impossible to grip. She stopped and looked around for something solid to grab hold of. It was too dark to see anything other than blobs and shadows. Then Navirra remembered something. She was being groomed by the Naaru to be a Paladin and Paladins were agents of the Light. She closed her eyes for a brief moment and uttered the sacred words of a prayer she had been learning from the tome her Grandfather had given her. She finished her sentence immediately felt a rush of warmth stirring in her chest. After a brief moment a white aura metabolized out of nowhere and the entire shaft lit up around her.

It was still fairly cold, but regardless, she was able to relax a little and the feeling in her legs started to return. Now that she was calm and motionless, she began to feel the pain in her nearly shattered elbow. It was dull at first, but gradually bloomed into all out agony as the sensations grew. She rubbed her eyes again because her vision was starting to pulsate, focusing in and out like a strobe light. At first she thought that she was growing a little light-headed. Then she noticed that the walls around her were starting to fade away as if a haze was settling over her eyesight. She reached down and splashed some cool water on her face and when she wiped it away the walls appeared normal again.

That was weird. I hope I don't have a concussion or anything.

Navirra heard movement behind her and spun around noticing a tiny opening in the cave wall that she hadn't notice before. She bent forward and looked through the fist-sized hole seeing that it opened up into a larger chamber. There was just enough illumination from her aura to see that the new chamber was dry and even more importantly, it was solid ground. She wanted to get a better look but the hole was quite small, too small to climb through. She reached for her wool hat, but it was gone. She must've lost it on her fall down the hole. It had most likely sunk into the pool by now. It sent shivers up her spine when she thought about how deep the water beneath her might be and what may be lurking in it. She shuddered and then began to strip off her vest and shirt in a panic. It was more like peeling them off because they had shrunk so much in the cold water. Once her shirt was removed and she floated there in just a pink brassiere, she could see her arm. Her elbow was already swelling and turning an ugly purple that nearly matched the color of the dark water. She poked the bruising flesh and let out a whelp. "That's not gonna be pretty tomorrow," she said, biting her bottom lip.

Navirra delicately lifted her soaked shirt and wrapped the wet fabric around the hand of her good arm, making a fist underneath the material. She used the makeshift glove to knock loose some of the dirt surrounding the little opening. After a minute of doing this she was able to make the hole big enough to squeeze her slender body through. She got a few minor cuts on her exposed stomach but managed to avoid bumping her throbbing elbow. Navirra came out on the other side, dropping down about two feet where she rested up against the cave wall, enjoying the welcoming warmth and dryness of the open chamber. She sat down and crossed her legs together. She sat like that, just resting at first, and then starting to doze a little.

She was jerked awake when she heard movement again. Her green eyes shot open and she saw what looked like a large chrysalis of some kind, resting against the opposite cave wall, half concealed in the shadows. It rose up from the ground instead of hanging like the cocoon of an insect. Navirra walked over to it and put her hand out to touch the strange formation. It was sticky, almost like melted marshmallow crème. She rubbed back and forth and noticed that the outer layer of slimy substance began to come off. She rubbed even harder and when she removed her hand this time, the inner coating of the object came off with it, creating a little hole in the side of the chrysalis. She examined the substance in her hand and it almost looked like spider-webbing. The chrysalis itself was slightly transparent and inside there appeared to be what looked like a humanoid. The figure was elfish in nature, but also seemed foreign in a strange, other-worldly kind of way. Its skin was extremely green and its entire body was covered in rough scales resembling those of a reptile or fish. The figure was also very thin like a corpse with boney limbs. Navirra moved closer allowing the light from her aura to shine inside the cocoon where the creature's head should've been. As the beams passed over the thing's face, it moved.

Navirra fell backwards in fright. She was on her butt again, but didn't seem to notice. She was focused on the sight before her. Whatever was inside the chrysalis had started to break its way out, using the hole that she had created when she touched it. Navirra saw the lanky arms of the figure move upwards, the long fingers prying away at the exterior like it was breaking out of a giant egg. She had accidentally awoken something.

The creature struggled out of its prison and stumbled to the ground on a wobbly tail. After recovering from its tumble, the thing rose up in front of Navirra, its full height about 7 feet tall. It made a gurgling sound from what should've been its mouth and then backed away from her, appearing to become part of the shadows on the cave wall. Navirra was at first puzzled, then frightened. She had never seen anything like it in her whole life. She tried to say something, but stopped when she saw the figure completely disappear from view into the darkness.

Navirra continued to stare at the shadowed area where she thought she had just seen an illusion. She shook her head and rubbed her eyes as if this would reassure her that she wasn't crazy, but when she opened them again she could still see the broken cocoon. She could also hear noises in the darkness, like the sound of more egg-like prisons being torn apart.

The feeling that she was in imminent danger finally swept over her and caused a sudden wave of panic to swell up in her chest. Navirra looked around, searching for an exit from the cave chamber. There was only one path out that she could see, so she bolted for it. She ran down the corridor, ducking a few times, and then bursting into a full out sprint as the cave opened up again. Her wet hooves squeaked noisily as they splashed along the smooth stone floor. She continued to run, without looking back and without slowing down. She was able to keep up a good pace, winding in and out of different passageways by the light from her aura. After a few minutes she skidded to a stop just in time to prevent herself from falling over a ledge.

She peered over the edge into a pool of water much like the one she had fallen into a few minutes before. At the bottom, partially under the water was a large, jagged crystal, its pointed peak breaking the surface of the pool like the top of a submarine. The chunk of stone was long and cylindrical, not round and flat like the other stones lying around her on the cave floor. It was also much more massive than anything else in the cave. It was nearly the size of a boat and was leaning out of the soft mud at a slight angle. It was surrounded by numerous other smaller gem formations making the pool look like a very dangerous place to swim. Navirra knew that falling into the water might be her undoing and she made a mental note to not slip into it by mistake.

She was shaken out of her thought when she heard noises coming from the corridor behind her. It sounded like more of the same gurgling, but must've been coming from more than one of the mysterious figures because now it was louder and there were different tones. Navirra wasn't sure what to do. She definitely didn't want to backtrack, but there was nowhere to go in front of her that she could see. The water itself was dark and murky, which made it possible that sharp crystals might not be the only dangerous thing under its surface. She definitely didn't want to try diving into the pool and risk disturbing something even worse than the creature from the cocoon. She could see that there were spiked rock formations, hanging from the ceiling and jutting up from the ground. Everything looked like a death trap in this cave. She bent down to touch the tip of one of the stalagmites. She wanted to test how sharp it actually was, but decided to just run instead because the voices were getting closer.

She searched for an exit and thought she saw one across the pool. As she leaned over the edge to get a better view, the ground beneath her feet began to give loose to her weight. It moved only slightly at first, but began to rapidly get worse as she tried to regain her footing. She tried to brace herself on the cave wall and it worked for a moment, but her slippery hooves gave out and she slid forward over the ledge. She splashed into the pool and luckily missed the giant crystal shard. However, the impact with the water caused her to lose focus. That was when her aura faded and her whole world turned black. She started to panic even more and began to see her life flash before her eyes. She knew she had to act quickly, so she recomposed herself and repeated the words of the prayer.

After her aura returned she looked up where she had been standing and on the ledge were three of the strange, serpentine figures. They would've been looking at her, except for the fact that they had milky cataracts instead of eyes. Their noses were flat and almost looked more like two nostrils right in the middle of their slimy faces. There was a mangled mess of stringy flesh where their mouths should've been, almost like a candle that had melted its wax over their lips.

Navirra screamed and began swimming for the edge of the pool. The creatures howled back at her in unison, but did not leave the ledge to chase after her. Navirra grabbed the side of the embankment and tried to pull herself out of the water, but her hands slipped. She fell backwards again and her head hit something hard in the water. She didn't remember anything after that. She had fainted.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The Night Elf Ambassador entered into the Vault of Lights and was greeted by two Peacekeepers. They were standing outside the chamber entryway with spears crossed in front of the door. They stepped aside and moved their weapons upward when they saw the elf approaching.

"Thank you," Opalora said as she passed between them. She paused for a moment, looking over her shoulder at the guards and watching them cross their spears again once she had gone through.

"May the Light embrace you," Velen said, crossing the room to meet her.

"And you," replied the elf, not quite sure how else to respond to the greeting. "Have I come too early?"

"Not at all young one," said the Prophet. "In fact, you have not come early enough." He smiled. The wrinkles on his forehead became more pronounced as he did so.

"I beg your pardon. I was under the impression that we were to meet this morning after breakfast. Was I misinformed? Should I have come before dining?"

Velen let out a hearty laugh. "No child. I only meant that we have important things to discuss and it would've been better had we been able to speak earlier. But sadly, I was just informed of certain dire events myself." He could see the confusion on the elf's face. "Come, come. Sit down over here." He waved his hand towards a group of couches.

"Oh, okay," said Opalora, moving to the closest of the sofas and taking a seat. "So, what are these events of which you speak?"

"I apologize to throw all of this at you because you are so new to your job as Ambassador, but I feel that you need to know what has been happening."

"Are your people okay?" Opalora was now concerned and a little frightened.

"That I do not know," answered Velen. "Possibly not. And your own people might also be in danger."

"What has happened?"

"Something dark is on the horizon my young friend. Something even I can't seem to understand. The Naaru and our ancestors are silent on the matter and I have received no visions as of yet." He took a seat next to the elf. "There have been attacks. I am not sure if they are related, but towns and villages have been destroyed all over your continent of Kalimdor. The first news we received was from Ratchet on the coast. The entire port was obliterated. Very few survived and those who did are too shaken up to speak about it. Gadgetzan in the Tanaris Desert was next, followed by the Troll stronghold of Sen'jin. Many other goblin cities have also been destroyed. So many lives have been lost and the death count continues to rise as something evil is wreaking havoc upon the coastal towns."

"What could it be?"

"I have not gained that understanding. But I am trying to put the pieces together. There have been other strange things happening in Kalimdor and I believed that all of these events may be linked in some way."

"What else has transpired dear Velen?"

"The creatures that inhabit the coastal regions and shallow waters have been acting rather peculiar. Murlocs have been seen leaving the sea and moving inland. Makrura have become increasingly hostile towards anyone who goes near them. The crawlers and turtles have all but disappeared from the areas where they used to be hunted for food."

"That is very odd. Has anyone spoken up on the matter?"

"A goblin woman from Ratchet washed up on a floating piece of debris in Darnassus yesterday. After your priestesses nursed her back to health she shared with them of her experiences. She is the messenger who brought us all of this ill news. I was going to ask you to go back there and question her so that we may fully understand the evil that is plaguing our fellow races."

"I will leave right away," said Opalora, rising from the couch. "Have you already prepared a vessel for me to sail back?"

"Indeed. And my Draenei Ambassador Taam will accompany you there. Learn what you can and return to us with haste. While you are gone I will try to commune with the Ata'mal crystal and see if I can gain some insight from the Naaru."

"I'm on my way."

"Dioniss Aca."

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

When Navirra awoke she was again lying in the grassy field near the boulders. She sat up and looked around. She was alone. The things from the cave hadn't followed her outside. She wasn't quite sure how long she had been gone or really what had happened while she had been underground. It all had seemed like a hazy dream, but the pressure in her chest was very real. Her heart was beating extremely fast. It was almost hard for her to breath at first. Each inhale sent sharp jolts throughout her abdomen. She rubbed her arm on her chest to alleviate some of the pain and noticed that there was a huge blackening bruise on her left elbow. She moved her arm closer, as if it would give her a better view. Upon closer inspection, the bruise was still there and still spreading. She poked at it with her other hand and felt no pain. It was almost as if something had bandaged the wound and masked all sensation.

She looked around and then back down at her torso and saw that she was sitting there in the open with only her bra on. "Eeek!" she cried out, looking around for her shirt. That was when she spotted Kriin lying near a cluster of rocks. She instantly saw the reason for the silent treatment she had been receiving from her friend and she forgot all about her lack of clothing and her own wounds. "Oh no, what have I done!" she gasped, her voice now changing to one of concern.

She sprinted down the little incline in front of her to where Kriin was now beginning to roll onto her side, stumbling over a satchel as she ran. The pack spilled open revealing a slingshot and a bag full of little, pink balls about the size of grapes. The paintballs scattered everywhere, but she paid no attention, kicking them around as she stooped down by her friend.

Kriin felt her touch and slowly came awake. "What happened?" she said, rubbing her head. "I feel like I got ran over by a Clefthoof."

"I feel like I just ran the entire length of this island," Navirra said.

"Huh?" Kriin asked, attempting to stand back up.

"Oh, nothing. It's a long story." She looked at Kriin closer and saw the stream of red running along the side of her face and the welt above her right temple where the blood was coming from. She quickly knelt down and cupped Kriin's face in her soft hand, brushing the dirty hair from the mixture of paint and blood leaking from the fresh wound. "Please say something, say you're all right," she pleaded.

Kriin looked at Navirra through her one clear eye and smiled. "You got me pretty good on that one Navirra," she mumbled as she sat up. "It was a lucky shot and it won't happen again. By the way, you should probably cover those big ladies up with something." She pointed at Navirra's exposed chest. "You wouldn't want any boys to see you."

Navirra looked down and remembered that she still had no shirt. She put her good arm up to cover herself and turned away from her friend in embarassment. She then punched Kriin lightly in the shoulder. "They're not that big. It's called a push up." She grabbed the satchel and pulled it over her chest, wearing it backwards like a vest. "Why don't you quit making fun of me and give me your overshirt?" she said in frustration.

Kriin unbuttoned her top layer and handed it to Navirra, turning around to give her friend some privacy. Navirra threw it over her head, pulled it down and then used her hands to flip her hair out from under the collar.

"You had me worried," she said. "I knew we should have worn masks."

"My head will be fine," Kriin said trying to comfort her friend. "What happened to you anyway? Where have you been and where did your shirt go?"

Navirra looked back down at her bruise. In the fading sunlight of late afternoon the rest of her skin had turned a dark olive tone. It made her feel slimy even though the air was warm and dry. She assumed that she must have looked really weird to Kriin at that moment. "I don't know," she said with a shrug. "I can't remember much about anything right now. Did we find a cave or something? Maybe I left my shirt in there."

"What cave?" asked Kriin.

"I don't know. But why would I be missing my shirt and where did this huge bruise come from?" said Navirra, pointing at her elbow.

"Are you sure you didn't get hit in the head too?" Kriin asked.

Navirra shrugged and then bent down to retrieve her things, first stuffing the slingshot into the bag and then trying to gather the scattered paintballs. "Let's just go," she said.

"But don't you want to go check to see if there was a cave?" Kriin turned back around and saw that Navirra was already walking away. She disappeared over the hill and Kriin finally realized that she wasn't going to get any help or go back to find the caves, so she leaned forward and started gathering up her equipment. She stood up and took off running up the hill towards Navirra. When she came around the corner of a powdery, red cliff face she saw Navirra standing at the edge of a dirt road. Her long, white hair was flowing slightly in the breeze. Kriin stepped out of a sparse scattering of pine trees and stood behind her friend looking down the road to the right. She scratched the back of her head and let out a little sigh. "Well, let's get going before the sun goes down and we lose any chance we might have of finding our way back to town," she said.

"What, are you scared that an ogre is gonna get you?" Navirra said sarcastically as she gave Kriin a playful shove backwards.

"No, of course not," Kriin answered. "I just don't want to be walking out here at night when there could be Timberstriders or Nightstalkers around."

Navirra laughed. "The only kind of night stalkers you're going to find around here are the kind that show up to seduce younger men with their saggy breasts and splotchy makeup."

"Well what if we really did come across an ogre or something?" said Kriin nervously.

Navirra didn't know what her friend was talking about. "Ogres?" she asked. "There aren't any ogres on this world."

"There might be. We've never been off this island. There could be ogres the size of Gronn for all we know."

"I seriously doubt it," said Navirra. "But the only way to find out is to look around. Why don't we go check out that other island tomorrow?"

"The one with all the red mist?" Kriin looked in the direction of the other island, although there were hills between them and the light was fading so she couldn't actually see anything.

"That's the one."

"That probably isn't the best idea. Aren't you nervous?" said Kriin.

"Nervous about what?" asked Navirra. "The red mist? I'm not afraid of some colorful gasses in the air. It's probably just the way that the sun filters on that island. Again, the only way to find out things is to go and explore."

"Didn't you hear the Peacekeepers telling us all to stay away from there? The unknown is too dangerous, especially for two young ones like us who haven't even finished our Guild training yet. You haven't even started yours. When are you going to choose?"

"I don't know if I will ever pick one. Training is boring." Navirra didn't want Kriin to know that she was being personally instructed by the Naaru.

"Huh?" Now Kriin was confused. She wasn't sure if Navirra was joking or not. "You can't just decide not to join a Guild. You must do it to benefit our entire society. Don't be selfish."

"Get off my back Kriin!" Navirra said, throwing her arms out in frustration. "You are so clueless sometimes. You really mean to tell you why I haven't joined a Guild yet? Well, I haven't chosen one because my destiny doesn't align with any of the Guilds. There are no trainers for what I have chosen."

Kriin's face was a picture of utter confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm becoming a Paladin."

"A what?" Kriin raised an eyebrow.

"A Paladin. The ancient wielders of the Light."

"This is the first time I have ever heard anything even remotely close to what you just said. Are you messing with me Navirra? Is this some kind of unfunny joke?"

Navirra growled and threw her hands up in frustration again. "I am being guided by the Naaru to become a Paladin."

"The Naaru speak to you personally?" Kriin was trying to picture it in her head.

Navirra sighed. "Not speaking exactly. They come to me in my dreams."

"That is really amazing. What kinds of things have they taught you?" said Kriin with a now excited look on her face.

"Just various healing and cleansing abilities so far. But I'm working on grasping some of the more difficult protection and fighting techniques as well."

"You are so lucky Navirra. Sometimes I wish I was a direct descendent of the Prophet too."

"Calm down," said Navirra. "It has nothing to do with my relations to Velen."

"So you think that the Naaru just chose you because you're beautiful? Come on Navirra. Don't be so naive."

"Well regardless of why I was chosen," said Navirra. "It still doesn't change the fact that I still want to go and check out that other island. Are you gonna come with me tomorrow or not? I can always get Jemiini if you're scared."

"I'm not scared, replied Kriin. "I just don't like getting in trouble. But I'll go if you promise that we won't stay long. In and out again. No venturing too far."

"Deal," added Navirra. "Until then, why don't you quit acting like such a frightened, little baby?"

"I told you already that I'm not afraid," Kriin said. "My mind makes up all kinds of crazy stuff when I'm unsure about things. So quit treating me like a kid. I'm not going to ruin this adventure for you. But seriously, the later it gets tonight, the less likely we are to find our way home. It's not easy orienteering at night. Besides, I should probably get home and take care of this little cut you gave me and make sure that I didn't get a concussion or anything. And your elbow looks pretty serious too."

"It'll be easy to find the trail again," said Navirra. "It was just beyond that rise over there."

"Then let's get going because Madam Zwill is at home alone and is probably wondering where we are. You know how she gets when I am late."

"After you." Navirra shoved Kriin again, this time towards the road and a little harder than before.

Kriin almost fell, but managed to only drop her satchel, spilling another bag full of paintballs into the grass. "You know, you could be a little nicer sometimes," she said, picking up the bag.

Navirra ignored this last comment and started walking down the road with a satisfied smile on her face. Picking on Kriin just so happened to be a source of great pleasure for her. It always had been and always would be. Kriin didn't care too much. It was actually quite amusing to her as well, but she liked to make Navirra think that it bothered her. It was her way of getting Navirra back for picking on her in the first place.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The boat ride was rocky, but Opalora soon found herself back on the shores of Darnassus. She and her Draenei companion were greeted at the docks by one of the Priestesses and led to the temple inside the city. As they entered inside, their guide ushered them up some ramps to a chamber with a large wooden table and a few chairs. They were then left alone in the room.

"Well this is nice," said Opalora. "I've never actually been inside the temple."

"The architecture here is quite beautiful," said the other Ambassador. "Much like that of the Exodar."

"I agree. Your Prophet and my High Priestess have similar tastes."

The door behind them opened again and in walked a Sentinel and a goblin. The Sentinel introduced the goblin to the two Ambassadors and then left the room. The goblin attempted a smile, but she did not seem in the mood for happiness. She was very short, even for goblin standards, had a wavy yellow Mohawk and large, hoop earrings in her ears and eyebrows. She was wearing mostly leather, but also had a cloth cloak that had a hood which she could pull up over her head to conceal her entire face. She looked like a dishonest thief, but the Ambassadors would give her the benefit of the doubt.

"Please have a seat Ms…" Opalora was trying to get the goblins name.

"No titles. Just a name," said the goblin, walking around the front of the table. "And I prefer to stand if that's okay with the two of you."

"By all means," said Taam. "Whatever makes you comfortable."

"Many thanks," said the goblin. "My name is Tiffee Fizzlerocket, but please just call me Tiffee. I am from Ratchet although my town is no more."

"That's what we heard," said Opalora. "I am sorry for any losses you suffered. If there is anything we can do for you please let us know."

"Your people have done enough already. Without them and their healing arts I would be dead. It is you whom I should be thanking."

Opalora and Taam were impressed at the politeness and etiquette of the goblin. They had heard many things about her race before and none of them were appealing. She was changing their perception.

"So I'm sure that you are wondering what happened," Tiffee continued. "I wish I could tell you. Nothing has ever happened like this before." A tear began to well up in the goblin's eye.

"Do not be distressed," said Taam, trying to comfort her. "We are friends and we desire to help your people. Please tell us all that you can recall about that night."

Tifee sniffled. "Well, I was sleeping when it started. All I heard was shouting and yelling coming from outside my home. I jumped out of bed and grabbed my daggers from a bedside table. I moved cautiously to the window and peered outside. That was when I saw the giants."

"Giants?" Opalora looked over at Taam and then back to Tiffee.

"Yes, Tidalstriders to be exact," said Tiffee. "I could clearly make out two of them, but there appeared to be more just off the shore in the water. The two in front were stomping through the town, destroying everything with their massive clubs. I am usually a great fighter, but my attacks require a bit of stealth and are usually against a target only slightly taller than me. I knew that I was no match for giants on my own, so I fled. I threw a few necessary items in a bag and slipped away in the shadows."

"I'm terribly sorry that you had to leave your home," said Taam.

"It wasn't a great house anyway. I'm just glad that I had the time to get out alive. Nobody else was as fortunate from what I could see."

"What else did you see?" asked Opalora. "Anything significant that might clue us in on why the giants attacked."

"Well, as I was sneaking through the town unnoticed, I overheard one of the giants yell something. He screamed 'For the Queen' and then crashed into the storehouse with a mighty swing."

Opalora's eyebrows creased together creating a V on her forehead. "That is very odd. What queen could they be referring to? I was under the impression that the giants had no formal leadership. I've also never heard of a female giant."

"Indeed," added Taam. "I am not familiar with the races of this world, but back on Draenor we had Gronn, which are giant humanoids with nasty tempers, and I never saw any women among their kind either."

"I know what I heard," said Tiffee a little offended.

"And we do not doubt your hearing," added Opalora. "Which means that the giants must be being controlled by someone else. But who could it be? The Tauren are peaceful and would never cause destruction like this. The Trolls, albeit hostile, are not known to work with anyone outside of their race. And the Warchief of the orcs is male."

Taam's eyes grew large. "Did I just hear you say orcs?" he asked. His bottom lip was trembling slightly.

Opalora turned to him. "That's correct. The orcs of Durotar."

"There are orcs on this world?" Taam rose up from his chair. "I must return to the Exodar at once. The Prophet must know of this."

"Wait, slow down," said Opalora, also rising up from the table. "What is the problem here? The orcs are not responsible for this."

"That is not the point," said Taam, pacing around the room. "The orcs are their own set of problems. They are the reason my people are even here in your world."

"You're losing me Ambassador. Why are you so worked up? I understand that the orcs are not friendly, but you seem very unnerved."

"My people were nearly obliterated by orcs back on Draenor. It was mass genocide to say the least. We fled that world at the last possible moment because of the orcs. If they are here then they will hunt my people down and start the butchery all over again. We are too young and inexperienced to defend ourselves now. Velen must be informed immediately."

Taam rushed for the door and ran down the ramps towards the exit. Tiffee and Opalora stared across the table at each other, neither knowing what had just happened.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

It was only the middle of the year, but autumn seemed to be approaching fast. The temperatures on Azuremyst Isle were still quite warm, especially during the long days, but the tropical foliage had already begun to turn deep shades of brown and red. The leaves on the trees around Azure Watch would occasionally fall to the ground and blow along the creek beds, sounding like little fires as they crackled through the dirt. The main stream was busy with animal life, from baby frogs taking their first jumps to frolicking squirrels enjoying a morning bath. There was also a multitude of soothing bird songs ringing forth from the overhanging treetops.

Smoke rose from the chimney of Navirra's pod, curling in wispy, white tendrils towards the sky. There was a faint smell of baking bread wafting from the kitchen area through the open main door. Navirra was sitting in the entryway, looking off into the trees. She could hear Jemiini humming from the nearby garden and knew that there was going to be fresh berry pies for their breakfast. Jemiini was a decent chef and Navirra was really starting to feel at home with Jemiini hanging around her brother Khaiss all the time.

The door behind Navirra opened up and Khaiss stuck his head out. "Breakfast is just about ready," he said. He was waving a greasy spatula as he spoke. "Come on inside. I just finished frying the meat."

Navirra rubbed her stomach and said, "You two are gonna make me gain so much weight. But I'm not complaining. You're meals are the best."

"It's good to have someone who can actually cook for us again," said Khaiss.

"So you're just taking advantage of me?" said Jemiini, who was exiting the garden carrying a basket of small melons.

"We don't cook much around here when there aren't any guests," said Navirra.

"Is that all I am to you, a guest?" Jemiini said jokingly. "I thought I was moving in permanently." She laughed and handed Navirra her garden goods.

"Before you started coming around more often, we didn't eat much at all. We were trying to save what little food storage we have left from the crash. Our stockpile was getting low, but with your gardening and gathering skills we've got plenty these days."

"Well I'm very grateful for all of the meals you've so graciously shared with me," said Jemiini. "It gets lonely living over in the Exodar sometimes."

They moved into the kitchen together. The room was smoky and full of appetizing smells. The aroma of stag bacon mixed with cooling homemade bread made Navirra's mouth water in anticipation. She immediately set the basket of melons on the counter, where she began washing them in the sink. Jemiini went right to the bread loaf and began cutting thick slices of the honey-wheat, which she piled onto a nearby plate. Khaiss was moving the frying pan from the stove to a pad that rested in the center of the table. He then used his spatula to transport the strips of sizzling stag meat from the pan to a paper towel lined plate where the grease could absorb into the material.

"This looks wonderful," he said with a smile. "I sure do love it when we eat together at the table like this. It makes me feel like home again."

"I miss Draenor too," said Jemiini. "Well, at least the early years. It all got ruined once the orcs started turning on us."

"Well this is our home now," said Navirra. "There is much dignity and honor among the races in these lands." She took a few strips of meat and then passed the plate to her brother.

"Not all of them. What about those things you saw when you were out with Kriin? You still think they are out there looking for you?" Jemiini asked, referring to the creatures that Navirra had stumbled upon.

"It's been days since I saw those things and I'm not even sure if it was real. I could've hit my head."

Khaiss looked down at the table and grabbed a handful of pie. "Either way, I don't want you or Kriin going back out to that area alone, especially without weapons. It's too risky if you ask me."

"Then I'll have to get a weapon. I'm sure the blacksmith has some he could give us." Navirra was waiting for them to agree with her and give some encouragement, but they didn't.

Jemiini was assembling her plate without saying a word and Khaiss was now avoiding all eye contact with his sister. He began eating his breakfast as if he were alone in the room, only opening his mouth to take another bite. The silence burdened Navirra. She wanted their support.

"I said, I'll have to ask the blacksmith for a weapon." She reiterated her statement, hoping to draw out a conversation. "What do you guys think? Where else can I go to get one?"

Finally Khaiss spoke. "You're not trained with weapons. You haven't even picked a Guild yet. There is no way that the blacksmith will give you one. He won't want you hurting yourself or someone else."

"Isn't hurting things the point of a weapon? I need something to help me defend myself in case those things were real. Or would you rather me just sit here and waste away in this little town?" Navirra was looking back and forth between them. "Well I can't do it. I'm going to ask him."

"I don't think that is wise," said Khaiss. "You're not cut out to be a soldier. Stay here and enjoy the simple life. Weapons just complicate most things. Maybe consider joining the crafters. You can build things with your hands and reap the benefits of your own hard work. There is a lot of pleasure to be found in that Navirra."

"Not for me," she said, kind of snootily. "I have been training with the Naaru and I feel that I am ready to help protect our people."

Khaiss and Jemiini looked at her in confusion.

"Grandfather Velen says that I am ready," added Navirra. "All I need is a good weapon."

"I don't know what training you're talking about, but you sound like you've made up your mind," said Jemiini. "Are you sure there's nothing we can do to change your decision?"

Navirra thought about it for a second and then responded, "Nope. I know what I'm supposed to do."

"Well, if there's no stopping you, then at least let me help you out," said Khaiss. "Come with me."

Navirra followed her brother outside and around the pod. A metal shed stood half buried in the hillside in the small backyard. There were tall weeds growing around the entrance, but Navirra could see that the shed was used frequently by the way the grass was flattened down where the door swung open. Seeing this shed, standing out here behind their home, made Navirra think about the little woodshop that was built behind her childhood home in Nagrand. Memories of her parent's death came flooding into her head and she immediately pushed them away. The Naaru had told her that she needed to stay focused in order to master the art of Lightwielding and recalling bad childhood memories would hinder her progression.

Khaiss reached the shed and began opening the lock that was looped through the ringed latch on the door. "Gotta keep this place secured," he said. "Wouldn't want any looters snooping around inside my tool shed."

Navirra smiled to acknowledge that she had heard him. She loved her brother. Without him she would probably have died already. She cringed at the thought of where she would be right now had he not found her wandering around in the grass the day the orcs turned on them.

He laughed. "What was that grin for Navirra?"

"I just love you Khaiss. I'm very grateful for all that you've done for me over the past few years."

"Well, don't thank me just yet," he said. "You're gonna owe me even more expressions of gratitude when I show you what's inside here." He pulled the lock from the latch and swung the door open.

It took a moment for the dust to settle enough to see the inside of the shed. It was dark, but Khaiss walked in and twisted a crystal that hung from the ceiling in the middle of the shed. It produced a single ray of violet light that illuminated the small room and Navirra looked around in confusion. There wasn't anything that looked worth stealing inside this outbuilding. A few garden tools stood against the wall in the back corner and there was a large toolbox with sliding drawers in the opposite corner. In the front of the shed, to her right, there was a workbench and on top of it were some old, unfinished projects covered in dust and cobwebs. To her left was a barstool and a little, wooden table. Nothing else stood out to Navirra.

"I don't get it," she said. "What's so special about this place? And why the lock, there's nothing in here that anyone would want to steal, unless you've got something hidden that I don't see."

"You're exactly right my dear sister," Khaiss said, walking over to the tool box. He produced a key and inserted it into the lock releasing the lever inside the box so he could open the sliding drawers. He pulled out the top one and inside was a normal claw hammer and a hand saw. He grabbed both of these and laid them on the workbench. Then he opened the second drawer and inside it was various tools, most of which Navirra didn't recognize. Khaiss fished out a large, adjustable wrench and set that on the table next to the hammer and saw.

"What's all of this stuff for?" asked Navirra.

Khaiss moved past her and pulled a leather tool belt down that was hanging on a nail in the shed wall. He began placing the hammer and wrench into the pockets, followed by the saw which he hooked onto the belt with a button fastener. "Here, you'll need these." He handed the belt to Navirra and urged her to put it on.

"But why are you giving me these tools?" she asked. "What am I supposed to do with them?"

"Whatever you need to do with them," said Khaiss. "You'll be glad to have them when you're out there on your own. I'm sure that you can find all kinds of good uses for each one of those gadgets."

Navirra looked at her brother with fury in her eyes. "Are you serious? These are tools. I can't fight off an enemy with a wrench. I thought you actually believed me Khaiss. This isn't funny at all. You're making it into a joke and I was serious about getting a weapon."

The smile on his face faded. "Sorry Navirra. It was just a silly prank. I do believe you and I actually do have something for you," he said, walking back to the tool box.

He started to push the whole box to the side and Jemiini stepped in to help. They slid it to the side and Navirra saw that underneath, formed into the shed foundation, was a secret hatch. The door looked very heavy, definitely too large for any one of them to lift by themselves.

"How do you open it?" Navirra asked.

"We don't," he said. "It opens itself. Step aside for a second." He walked over to the hatch and used his foot to apply pressure to one corner of the hatch door. He continued to press the different corners of the stone in a specific pattern until a clicking sound came from underneath, signaling that the right code had been input.

The hatch door sunk into the floor slightly and then slid to the side, revealing a type of storage hole in the foundation. Inside was a medium sized wooden box, like a treasure chest, sitting alone at the center of the opening. Navirra stared at the box for a second, the craftsmanship of the wood bringing back memories of her father. He had been an amateur carpenter, always building random trinkets out of wood. Picturing him working at his table brought a tear to her eye. Navirra was starting to feel ill even though it was only mental stress and not an actual sickness.

Khaiss reached down and removed to lid from the box. Inside were multiple weapons of definite Naaru origin. Each one was delicately crafted from unfamiliar metals and had polished gems inlaid into the handles. The first was a blade of some sort. It was curved like her horns and had a serrated edge on one side. Next to this was what looked like a double-bladed battleaxe. There was also a mallet that looked large enough that it would need to be held in both hands. Last was a pair of shiny daggers and a long stave that nearly filled the box from one corner to the other. Navirra had no experience with any of these melee weapons, other than watching her brother use similar types in the arena. She had definitely never used any of them before and would've passed them all up, but then she saw something that caught her eye. Lying underneath the various weapons, almost unseen, was a gold plated shield with the Draenei crest engraved upon its broad face.

"I can have any of these?" she asked, turning towards her brother.

"Any one you want," he answered. "They were given to our family through Velen when we first crashed on Draenor so many generations ago."

Navirra reached into the box and moved the weapons aside until she could pull out the shield. It was even more beautiful than it had appeared at first. It gleamed in the purple light and almost appeared to be pulsating with life. "This one is for me," she said, holding it up.

Khaiss made a gesture towards the weapons still in the box. "Are you sure you don't want something more deadly? I can teach you how to swing any of these."

"No this is the right one. I can feel it."

"Okay then," he said, closing the box and the resecuring the hidden vault.

Navirra examined the shield, holding it in each of her hands to feel the weight and the mass. She even stepped out of the shed and gave it a few swishes through the air. She then slid her arm through the strap on the underside and looked up at her audience. "This is perfect," she said. "Thank you so much."

"Not at all," said Khaiss. "I'm just glad you finally picked something. I hope it works how you plan though. I'd hate for you to get out there on your own before finding out that it isn't as good of a weapon as you thought."

"How can it go wrong? It's a solid piece of metal. I should be able to do quite a bit of damage with this if the need arises."

Navirra removed the shield from her arm and held it against her back as if it were attached to see if she wanted to try and make a holder for it. The shield was particularly long and even if she could find a way to fasten it to her back, she wondered if she'd be able to easily draw it out at a moment's notice to fight. She was either going to have to carry it or find a good way to make it more accessible and less awkward.

Khaiss could see that the gears were turning in Navirra's brain. He tried to help her out by offering a suggestion. "I can see that you are stumped, so let me help. Why don't you go see the blacksmith after all and see if he can make you a breastplate with a hook on the back? It would be like having a hanger and you could draw it out of its holster like a gun. What do you think?"

"I think you're a genius," Navirra said, giving her brother a hug. "What would I ever do without you?"

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

The young orc scout Dentar crested the hill and crouched in the tall grass, hidden from anyone below. He watched the three unprepared Draenei walking along the trail. There were two females and a burly male wearing a robe. The orc and his small scouting party of hunters had been following the Draenei for a while, creeping along silently with their loyal wolf pets at their side. They watched and took note of the weapons each Draenei was carrying. One of the females had a shield and the other carried nothing that he could see from this distance. The male had a staff which he used like a cane, bracing himself upon it. He was slightly older than the females and would probably be the most experienced threat once the fighting started, but the orcs did not fear them. Dentar had bested enemies more challenging than these and come out victorious. He and the other two orcs would also have the advantage of ambushing them unexpectedly. And with the help of their trusted pets they could take the three Draenei down quietly and easily.

The wind began to pick up a little, rustling the leaves in the trees that lined this part of the island. The sun had gone down more until only a faint orange hue stretched across the Western horizon, silhouetting the skyline. It looked a lot like the light a sun makes around a moon during a solar eclipse.

The Draenei had been walking for a while now and their feet were starting to hurt, so it was convenient for them to stop when they heard the eerie sound of the trees. In fact, the eerie noise stopped them dead in their tracks. It almost sounded like something was moving through the underbrush.

"Creepy," Navirra said in a nervous tone. "Maybe we should have listened to everyone and not come out to explore the other island. I'm so dumb sometimes." She knelt down to fasten a loose buckle on one of her boots that had come undone and peered off into the quaking trees as she did so. "We should have left earlier."

"Oh, and I'm the one who's afraid? You're pathetic," Kriin remarked. "It's just the trees. They can't hurt you. Besides, we're almost to the shallow water now."

At that moment, they heard the twang sound of a bow string and an arrow flew between the girls and lodged itself into the shoulder of the male who was with them. He let out a yelp and whirled in the direction the arrow carried him.

The girls had completely stopped moving and Navirra raised a gloved hand to her back where it rested against the top of the shield. Her gaze went to the hillside behind them where the first orc was now rising to his feet.

Kriin knelt down near the wounded male and began putting pressure around the arrow. "Navirra?" she called. "Navirra what's going on?"

Navirra didn't respond. She just continued to stare past Kriin at the enemy and now her lips had parted a little and her eyebrows were bending inward because she was straining to focus her vision, but the orc was fairly far away.

"Hey Navirra," Kriin called again. "What are you doing?" She looked past her friend and this time she saw a huge, green orc rushing down the hill towards them. The bow in its hand looked like a toy next to the gigantic orc. When she turned back towards Navirra she was stunned to see that Navirra had started running in the opposite direction. Kriin turned to the wounded Draenei and said, "Can you defend yourself? I'll be right back. I'm going to go see what's up with Navirra."

The Draenei male nodded and turned to face the orc as Kriin took off running after her friend. He rose to his feet, leaning his weight on the staff. Once standing he began to fade until his entire body was enveloped in a shadowy haze.

The orc unsheathed another poisoned arrow and notched it into his bow as he ran. Before he could loose it he became disoriented as the Draenei male shrieked a scream more piercing than the orc had ever heard. It was almost as if the sound entered his ears and attacked his mind. He fell to his knees and cupped his hands on either side of his head trying to rid his brain of the sound. That was when he was lifted off of the ground. Dentar's eyes grew in frustration and concern, but he remained in his hiding spot, letting the two younger hunters earn their honor. They still had the advantage.

The male Draenei priest was standing only a few feet from the young orc now and his hand was stretched out. Black tendrils poured out of his palm and twisted through the air, lifting the orc skyward and wracking its brain with psionic waves of agony. He pulled the orc up, its legs dangling above the ground a few inches.

Navirra's heart was pounding in her chest like a jackhammer and her breathing had started to quicken into short, strained breaths. "This can't be happening," she kept repeating to herself as she weaved through the trees, circling around behind the orc.

Kriin dropped down a small slope where she saw Navirra now running towards the two battling males with her shield drawn. "Navirra," she called out. "Navirra, wait for me."

Navirra finally stopped at the sound of Kriin's voice and turned around. "Kriin hurry. We've got to help Aurelon."

When Kriin had almost reached the end of the treeline where her friend was waiting, she skidded to a stop as a wolf darted in front of her. She jumped backwards in fear, but the animal ignored her and sprinted towards its master. Kriin stumbled backwards a step and then stood watching the confrontation with a confused look on her face. "Navirra, did you see that?" she called out. "Watch out!" All of a sudden she was being thrust hard against a tree beside her, the blow instantly knocking her unconscious and causing her seemingly lifeless body to crumble to the ground. A second orc had joined the fight, raising his hunting knife high in preparation to bring it down into Kriin's neck.

Navirra's eyes darted between Kriin and the males and saw the hunched wolf gaining speed. She wasn't sure what to do at the moment and was starting to feel even more dizzy and light-headed. Her mind was racing with thoughts causing a pounding migraine to suddenly build inside her head. She decided to help Kriin first. She spun around and hurled the shield. It left her hand and flew through the air, leaving a trail of light in its wake.

The second orc was bringing his blade down when the shield slammed into his skull, splitting it instantly and sending his scalp flying into the air. The orc fell to the earth dead and the shield whirled in a wide arc before returning to Navirra as if her hand was a magnet.

Aurelon was still casting his shadow magic at the other hunter, but this orc had stopped struggling and had exposed his big teeth in a vile grin. Aurelon did not understand. As he strained harder to increase the amplitude of his mind flay he was knocked off his staff when the wolf collided into him.

The wolf leapt to its feet and began to approach the Draenei, slowly at first and then building speed as it closed in again. It leaned down and charged forward with its head low and shoulders out. It ran in a fluid, almost graceful motion without losing any momentum. When the wolf was only a few yards from the confused Aurelon it sprang off its thick legs and smashed into him again, thrusting his frail body down to the ground a second time. Aurelon's head hit the rocky dirt hard, spraying blood outward in a V shape from the top of his head. He didn't even have time to scream before the wolf had sealed its paws onto his throat and clamped down with the force of a vise. Warm blood flowed around the claws as the beast knelt over him. The monstrous animal sunk its claws in deeper, tearing into the soft flesh of his neck. The squirting blood caused the wolf to go into a kind of frenzy, shaking and thrashing about on top of the dying Draenei.

After a few seconds Aurelon's legs finally stopped kicking. His motionless body lay in a bloody heap under the large animal. It looked like a slaughter house behind the beast had finished. On the ground around the mangled body was a widening puddle of blood and a few strands of light blue hair.

The orc fell dead as the shadowy tendrils faded. Dentar watched both of his apprentices fall and the rage inside him was growing, but he was able to contain it and keep his wolf sated. He put a steady hand on the beast's head, calming it. Dentar realized that the Dreanei were more of a challenge than they had first appeared and would collect his loses, leaving when he could do so undetected.

The other wolves, after realizing that their masters were dead, turned their attention to Navirra and began to charge. Navirra anticipated the attack and grasped at the necklace around her neck that bore the crest of Paladins. She mumbled an incantation and then slammed her shield into the ground. A protective bubble erupted from the top of the shield and enveloped her in its protective glow. The wolves crashed into the invisible barrier and both of their necks snapped at awkward angles.

This was Dentar's cue to act. He was older and more seasoned than his apprentices had been and now there was only one Draenei to deal with. He quietly reached back into his quiver and withdrew his trap launcher, setting it on the ground and arming it with a compressed net.

Navirra let out a sigh of relief and then ran to see if Kriin was okay. Before she could get to her friend she heard a twang, saw something hit the ground in her path, and was briefly lifted off the ground as a net trap sprung up from beneath her. Her cloven feet clicked together as the trap snapped loose. She was instantly sent into a barrel roll, tripped and trapped. The force of the landing caused Navirra's head to hit the earth hard and when she collided she was knocked out.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

It had started to rain outside and the droplets blew sideways into the window, striking it gently and then running lazily in crooked streams down the glass. Inside, the sound of the falling rain was softened by the steady hum of the exotic fish aquarium near the far wall. Between the window and the fish tank, in the center of the room, was a giant bed covered in fluffy pillows and a thick blanket. Glowing crystals ran the length of the ceiling on two sides reflecting a dim light onto the bed from a series of mirrors above it. At one end of the spacious bedroom was a large, oak door that had been bolted closed from the inside. There was a single knock at the door. The heavy blanket moved and rustled for a second and then lay still again.

There was a second knock, swifter and louder than the first. The covers swayed again and this time a shapely leg fell out to one side of the bed. A third knock came, then nothing for a few seconds, and then pounding. "Zalinne open up please," a voice said through the door.

The shapely leg was pulled back under the blanket and then it was raised and folded over itself. Zalinne sat up, resting her arms on the folded sheets. She was wearing a black sleeping mask over her eyes, which she lifted with one hand. She glared at the door through one half-opened eye. She grunted and rolled her legs to the side dropping her feet into a pair of fuzzy, woolen slippers. She stood up, tossing the blanket back onto the bed and shuffled naked towards the sound of the pounding. She noticed she was still wearing the mask and pulled it off, letting it fall to the floor as she walked. The sweat from her naked body gleamed in the moonlight, tracing her curves in a silvery glow. She reached the door and pulled on the robe that was hanging from a hook near it, tying it loosely around her slender waist. "What is it?" she asked. "Why did you wake me up?"

The other elf spoke back through the still closed door. "It's Dentar. He came back."

"Who the hell is Dentar?" she said, twisting the lock and parting the door slightly so she could see her brother Kirandor. He was also in his night robe and was leaning up against the door frame, moving back when he saw the door begin to open. He looked at Zalinne and started to speak, but was interrupted. "I said, who the holy hell is Dentar?"

"He is one of the orcs that went to scout the island," Kirandor replied.

"Oh right," Zalinne said blowing a strand of blonde hair out of her face. "And why should I care if he came back? As long as he did his job then he is of no more use to us. Pay him."

"It's not that simple Zalinne," Kirandor said with a worried look on his face.

"What's not simple about it? Take him to the vault and get his gold. I'll see you in the morning." Zalinne went to shut the door, but her brother stuck out his foot.

"Ouch," he cried pulling her foot back as the door closed on it.

"Well move it then," Zalinne said annoyed. She tried again to turn around and shut the door.

"Wait Zalinne. I wasn't finished," Kirandor called out. "Dentar came back alone. He said that the other scouts died."

"Good. That's makes two less orcs we have to pay off. More money for us right?"

"Fine Zalinne, but just so you know, the orcs were killed by Draenei. That means that those blue goats have weapons or someone is aiding them. Either one is bad news for us. The Warchief will not be pleased."

This finally grabbed Zalinne's attention. She turned to face her brother. Her plump lips were parted slightly. "What did you just say?"

"I said that the Draenei are either training or someone is protecting them," Kirandor repeated. "Why don't we ask the captive and find out?"

"What captive? Did the orc bring back a prize?"

Kirandor paused. "Well, yes and no," he mumbled.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Zalinne was staring intently at her brother, her green eyes focused.

"The orc wasn't able to bring her here himself. He claimed that she was too heavy for just one orc. Anyway, he managed to get her off the island, but once he got to the mainland he put her on a wagon with the caravan. She should arrive within a few days."

"Why would he do something so irresponsible? Oh, never mind." Zalinne whirled around and stormed off into her room. "Just bring him to me. I'll ask him myself," she said over her shoulder as she walked away.

Kirandor retreated back down the hallway to a set of stairs which he descended down a couple of floors. When he passed through the steel doors at the bottom he was standing in an office. He strolled across the room to a big glass window that overlooked a warehouse. Dentar was sitting on a wooden chair eating a leg of zhevra. Kirandor knocked on the glass and when the orc looked up he waved at him and motioned for him to come. Dentar jumped up, spilling a flagon of mead onto the floor. It spread quickly into a brown puddle. He looked around for a towel and spotted a mop instead. He grabbed it and walked over to the spill. He began to clean up the mess and accidentally dropped his meat stick into the soapy water as he bent over to squeeze the mop. "Aww, man," he grunted.

Kirandor was getting impatient and he knew that Zalinne was probably feeling the same way. He knocked on the glass again. Dentar looked up and then pointed at the mess. The elf walked to the office door and stuck his head out. "Get up here, you idiot. Quit wasting my time," he yelled.

The orc scowled and scurried over to the stairs that led up to the room where Kirandor was waiting. "Zug zug," he said as he ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time. He followed the elf across the office and up the stairs. "Is Miss Zalinne angry?" he asked.

"Doesn't seem to be, but how should I know?" he responded coldly.

The walk up the stairway was silent. Kirandor had no desire to speak to the orc unless it was absolutely necessary and Dentar was fantasizing about Zalinne, so neither spoke. Kirandor brought the orc up to the penthouse and brought him to the bedroom door. Dentar waited eagerly for Zalinne to welcome him inside. He was shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

"Quit bouncing around so much," Kirandor said. "You're making me sick."

"Sorry," he said with a foolish grin. He moved clumsily towards the door and then turned to say something to the elf, but Kirandor was already going into his own room. Dentar considered calling after him, but decided not to. He turned back around and lifted his hand to knock. He stopped, noticing a smudge of meat grease on his thumb. He licked it clean and then turned to look in a mirror that hung on the wall in the hallway. He swished his pudgy hand through his balding hair, smoothing it down with some spittle, and then checked his teeth for food particles. "That should do it," he said. He raised his hand again and this time he actually knocked.

"Come in," a sweet voice called through the door.

"With pleasure," he said to himself, grabbing the handle and turning it. The door was heavy and opened slow. He had to swing it almost all the way in to fit his portly body through the opening. He closed it softly behind him, making sure to not slam it. He didn't want to offend his hostess. He knew that Zalinne was the Warchief's woman, but that didn't stop him from hoping that he'd get a kiss as a reward from her tonight or maybe something more if he was lucky.

The room was still dimly lit, but now the light came from crystals and candles that had been placed decoratively around the bedroom. The room was illuminated enough for Dentar to make it to the bed without tripping on anything. He looked down at his boots as he walked anyway, just to be safe. He noticed that the floor was covered with red and white rose petals. His chances of getting lucky were looking good. He walked over to the bed, still sporting his ridiculous grin, and rubbed his hand on the soft fabric. "This is nice," he said, his breath quickening. He tried to picture himself in the bed with Miss Zalinne, rolling around in the sheets, their bodies entwined in the grip of ecstasy. It made his mouth water. He looked around for the source of the voice and noticed another door, which he assumed led to a bathroom. He also noticed the aquarium. He walked to it and stood there, looking in at the creatures inside. There was a greenish fish with an orange belly that kept darting in and out of a rock sculpture. He saw a few more of the same type of fish lurking behind some kind of water plants in the corner. "These are some hideous fish," he said to himself, noticing their jagged teeth and milky, white eyes. "But the rest of this place is really nice," he chuckled.

"I'm glad you like it," a voice said from behind him.

He whirled around towards the sound. Now the door at the back of the room stood open and he could see that it was indeed a bathroom. In the doorway stood Zalinne. She was now wearing a sheer, black nightgown. He instantly blushed and stumbled backwards into the fish tank nearly knocking it over.

"Calm down sweetie," she said, leaning provocatively on the doorframe. "And don't be nervous. It's just me, you're princess for the night. Come here and let me get a better look at you."

He was now bright red all over. No female had ever called him sweetie, especially not one as beautiful as Zalinne. "Yes Mistress," he mumbled. He shuffled towards her, his ample belly swaying.

"That's a good boy," she said, reaching out to him and pulling him close. He was short and his head sunk into the soft flesh between her generous breasts. He could feel her left nipple pressing into his ear as she hugged him tighter. His legs instantly turned to mush and he slumped to the floor between her feet.

Zalinne laughed and pulled him back up, this time holding him out in front of her. She was enjoying playing this fool. "Now, let's have a look at you," she said. "Just as I thought, it's you, my sweet little Dentar."

"You remember me?" He looked up into her piercing eyes and smiled.

"Of course I do," she said, returning a smile. "How could I ever forget my favorite orc in the whole world?" She was really toying with him now.

"I'm your favorite? Wow. Golly Miss Zalinne. I can't believe it. What about the Warchief? Does he not care that we are here alone? Are we finally gonna sleep together?"

"Wow, you're a quick one. You're not going to buy me dinner first," she said jokingly. "We'll get down and dirty a little later. But first I need you to tell me what happened on your scouting adventure."

"Don't worry about that Miss Zalinne."

"But your story will really put me in the mood." She winked seductively. "I want to hear how bravely you fought."

"Well sure, I am a great hunter, but I'm a better lover. You'll see. No one has ever loved you like I do. I know how to treat a lady. I'll please you way better than Blackhand or anyone could."

"I don't doubt it," Zalinne said, running a manicured nail across his puffy cheek. She leaned in, only inches from his ear and whispered. "Soon you can show me all of your talents. I'll bet you would treat me like a real queen."

Dentar could smell her perfume and feel her warm breath on his neck. He shuttered and licked his lips. "I will Miss Z. You bet I will."

"That's my boy," she said, backing away. "Now, tell me where your gift is. I heard you caught me something."

Dentar was staring at her lips as she spoke. They were a glossy pink, the bottom one slightly larger than the one on top. Both lips looked plump and delicious, like a smooth peach. He licked his own lips again, imaging her kissing him. "Okay Mistress. I'll tell you where she is, but you have to promise to not be angry with me."

"Of course," she said. "I could never be mad at my little cuddle bear." She had him right where she wanted him. He was like moldable clay in her hands, stupid and naïve.

"Well, she should be in Ashenvale forest or possibly the northern Barrens by now. I put her in the good care of the caravan driver who delivers trade goods between Zoram'Gar and the here."

"What a pity," she said. "I was hoping to see my gift tonight." She stroked her fingers through what was left of his greasy hair, running her nails along his scalp in little circles. "What else happened while you were out there on that island?"

"I lost both my apprentices in a tragic turn of events, but I still completed the mission just like the Warchief asked Mistress."

"Wonderful," she said, taking his face in her hands and lifting his chin towards her. "Did you succeed at finding their sanctuary then? Did you see their Prophet?"

"Well, actually I'm not sure where they are hiding. We came across a group of Draenei as soon as we landed our boat on the shore."

"So, what you're telling me is that you decided to return without actually completing your task at all?"

"Yes ma'am," Dentar said. "But it was all my apprentice's fault. It was their idea to attack the group."

"Damn idiots," Zalinne muttered under her breath.

"What was that Mistress?" the orc asked.

"Nothing darling," she said. She reached out and cupped his face in her hands again. When she spoke her voice was pleasant. "I guess there was nothing you could have done then."

"So you're not mad at me?" he asked, looking into her eyes.

"Heavens no. In fact, I'm going to reward you for your honesty and bravery."

"Well that's great Miss Zalinne. I can't explain how relieved I am to hear you say that." He stood up, straightening his shirt. It was obvious to Zalinne that he was horny. His entire face was red as an apple. He was transfixed on her though. He couldn't take his eyes off of her in her tiny, black undergarments. He smiled big and asked, "What should we do now?"

She stood up also and moved closer until their bodies pressed together. She made a point to again make sure he could feel her curves through the thin fabric. He shuttered again and let out a soft sigh of pleasure. She moved her face within millimeters of his and focused in on his beady little eyes. He gazed back into hers and lifted his left hand to cup one of her breasts. He started to knead it clumsily. "Is that nice?" he asked.

"Yes," she said, but she was actually completely repulsed. She hated seducing unattractive males, but they were more plentiful in her line of business so it happened often. At least she never grew attached to them when they were so hideous. "Before we get things really heated up though, I want you to do something for me."

"Anything Miss Zalinne. Anything you wish," he said, reaching around and grabbing a generous handful her naked rear. It was rough, like a child grabbing a handful of candy, not delicate or sensual at all.

She rolled her eyes and tried to mentally put herself somewhere else without letting him see it. "Follow me over here," she said, leading him towards the fish tank.

His eyes grew wide and his neck went stiff as he inhaled her perfume. "Yes Mistress," he said in a monotonous, almost robotic tone. His hands fell to his sides and he stepped backwards.

Zalinne walked with him across the room. She watched as he scooted across the floor with his arms dangling lifelessly at his sides like a zombie. His shoes barely left the ground, making a scruffing sound as they were dragged along the rug. When he reached the aquarium he stopped abruptly and stood in front of it, not moving. His fat torso swayed side to side a little. He was completely under her spell and she was loving every minute of it, especially the fact that his vise-like sausage hands were now off of her body. Her skin crawled at the thought of him squeezing her again.

"I dropped my necklace into the water earlier today. Would you be so kind as to reach in there and pull it out for me? I don't want my hands smelling all fishy. Just dip your arms into the tank and grab it. It's right there by that rock," She said. "I want to wear it for you tonight. And that will be all I'm wearing if you catch my drift."

He hesitantly lifted his arms and plopped them down into the water with an awkward splash. They floated lazily, the sleeves of his shirt billowing around as if a soft breeze were blowing. The piranha immediately darted out from their hiding places and latched onto his skin, first severing the tendons in his fingers and then gnawing away at his forearms before he could pull them out. Dentar screamed in agony as the fishes ripped the skin from his bones in a matter of seconds.

Zalinne watched as the tears streamed down his face and the spit flew from his shrieking mouth. The orc was finally able to pull them out and hold them up in front of him. His lips were trembling and his body shaking from the pain. He held them out, blood running down his shirt and dripping on the floor. The fish moved rapidly inside the tank, still gobbling down floating chunks of his flesh.

Zalinne walked up behind him and shoved his head down into the tank making sure to not put her own hands into the water. The fish were instantly drawn to his fatty face, starting with his fluid filled eyeballs and his plump lips. Zalinne held him down as the piranha made short work of his emotionless face. After a few seconds, he stopped thrashing so much and the last few air bubbles escaped from what used to be his nose and mouth. She eased up on her grip and his body crumbled to the floor in a bloody heap.

"Useless," she said, kicking him to the side. "They are all completely useless. Is there not anyone I can trust to actually get a job done?"

CHAPTER NINETEEN

The coast was silent now. There was no breeze and on both sides of the trail and the thin spruce trees towered above, casting their long shadows across the path. The moon was low and barely visible above the tree line. It was getting colder as the night drifted towards the early hours.

Kriin still lay in the tall grasses beside the path unconscious. Her breath came out in little clouds of warm air, but she still lay motionless. Her forehead was covered in sweat and a trickle of blood flowed from her hair where the orc had struck her.

Navirra was gone.

Kriin awoke, frightened and disoriented. She sat up and searched around for her friends. There was no sight of either of them from where she was. This sent a rush of panic over her and she leapt to her feet to scan the area for threats. There were no orcs either, but she didn't want to stick around for fear of being ambushed again, so she left the beach to find help.

As she exited the grass and returned to the path she could see an elekk approaching fast upon her location. As it drew near, a torch was lifted by its rider and the crackling fire bathed her body in yellow light. The silence of the night was suddenly broken as the animal skidded to a stop about two feet from where Kriin was standing. The rider, a tall Draenei Peacekeeper, dismounted and ran to her aid.

"By the Light," he yelled. "You're alive. The Naaru have favored us. Come quickly. We've got to get you to the safety of the ship."

"What's going on?" Kriin asked. "Are the orcs still here?"

"They are gone for now," the man answered. "But knowing them, they could return at any moment."

"Wh...who are you?"

"My name is Vanatu. I'm a Peacekeeper of the Exodar."

"The Exodar? How far away are we?"

Vanatu turned and nodded towards the shore and the other island beyond. "You are on the edge. That is Bloodmyst Isle over there. But do not concern yourself with trivial things. You're hurt," he said. "I think you need to see a priest."

"I am fine," Kriin said. "I'm just a little disoriented."

"Yes, well I don't think you're in any condition to be taking care of yourself right now." He offered his hand to help her up to the elekk and Kriin grabbed it, hoisting herself to the animal's back. "We should get you to the ship. You're a long way from home. What were you doing all the way out here at this time of night?"

Kriin rubbed the cut on her head and then looked at the blood on her hand. "Well, I was on my way to the other island. I was just going to explore a little. I had two friends with me. Did you see anyone else around here?"

"No one alive. Just you."

"I remember that we were attacked by a small scout party of orcs, but everything else is foggy."

"Well, there was nobody else here when I arrived. Unless you count those two dead orcs over there." He pointed to the corpses. "It looks like your friends put up a good fight."

"But where are they now?" said Kriin.

"They probably got captured. We will send out a search party in the morning. For now, I really think we should get you to the priests. You can worry about your friends later."

"Okay," Kriin said.

Vanatu mounted the elekk in front of her and started to move it in the direction of the Exodar.

CHAPTER TWENTY

The orc caravan driver continued to move the wagon caravan down the highway. The Barrens were desolate this time of year. It was hot and dry, even at night, and every now and then they would pass through a swarm of flying bugs that would linger longer than wanted. There was also a putrid scent that hung heavy in the air, making it even more unbearable than usual.

The back of the wagons were full of weapons and supplies for the outposts. Nestled in the middle of the crates and boxes was one metal cage. Inside this was Navirra. The darkness was thick, almost thick enough to cut with a knife. Pitch black all around her. There seemed to be no exit to the endless night. Only black, solid black swallowing all light. Navirra could hear her inner voice pleading inside her head for a release from this darkened tomb. Screaming. Silent screaming. Endless screaming. Then as if someone heard the call of her abandoned soul, flickering shadows began to break forth among the darkness. Flickering turned to flashes and eventually the flashing broke forth as light.

She sat up quickly, surprised by the intensity of the torches mounted to the sides of the wagons. Her head exploded in a series of migraine pulses. She had to lie back down for a second, her head pounding like a drum. She was almost completely unable to move her arms or legs. When her vision cleared and the spots faded from her retinas she focused her eyes on her lower body and saw that she was strapped down on the floor in the back of the wagon by a series of thick ropes. Her arms were tied behind her and her shoulders throbbed with pain from the odd angle at which they were bent. Her feet were also bound with coarse cords. And to top the whole ensemble off, she had been gagged with a dirty rag that tasted like spicy mustard and sweat.

Navirra looked around the wagon to gain some situational awareness. First she saw some construction equipment including shovels and pick axes. There were also boxes of medical supplies and a carton of bandages. She tried to decipher what this stuff meant, but her head hurt so bad it was hard to think clearly. She kept moving her eyes around the dusty wagon and then she spotted something that almost made her vomit. Lying in the back corner of the van was the rotting remains of a Draenei hoof. Then the smell hit her nose like a bullet train. It reeked of spoiled meat.

Navirra turned her head and tried to scream, but only muffled noises escaped her bound mouth. However, the noises were profound enough to get the attention of the driver because all of a sudden the caravan came rumbling to a stop sending her rolling into the side of her cage. She shook her head and tried to clear her mind again. She looked up and saw an ugly orc's round face looking back at her from the driver's seat.

"Welcome back beautiful," he said with a creepy grin. "I thought you'd never wake up. Don't worry though. We're almost there. Then you can meet my friends. If you think I am bad, just wait until you see what they have planned for you." With that he turned back around and started driving the wagons again.

Navirra couldn't understand what was going on. The last thing she remembered was being attacked on the beach. She had no idea how long ago that was. To her it seemed like an eternity. She couldn't figure out what day it was or even the time of day. Trying to think just made her head hurt even worse, so she curled up and tried to get comfortable assuming that she was helpless to try and escape being as weak as she felt.

Another hour or so went by and she felt the caravan slowing down to a stop again. She opened her eyes and tried to see if she could tell where they were. Off in the distance she could see some city lights. She longed to be back in the comfort of her little town with her brother and friends. Even more, she wished that she could be with her parents again. They would know exactly what to do in a situation like this. She could always count on her family when she needed comforting as she needed it now, more than ever. But sadly, her parents had been killed on Draenor. Killed by the filthy orcs that now had her tied in the back of their wagons.

The driver guided the caravan up next to the rear of an orcish building in the Barrens Crossroads. He got out to stretch near the side of the wagon. Navirra watched him carefully. He stretched his thick legs and then pulled out a pipe which he lit and started to smoke. She waited impatiently for it to burn down at which point the orc flicked it to the ground and stomped it out with a big, black boot. He walked over and slid open the rear door bathing her in light from some nearby lanterns.

"Time to get out and meet your new friends," he said as he reached in and drug her out quite violently. "Walk with me."

It was difficult to walk, let alone stand with her feet bound, but the orc would not slow down his determined pace. Navirra tried to say something, but again her words were blocked by the dirty rag. The orc stopped dragging her for a moment and removed the gag. "If you have something to say, then say it," he commanded.

"I'm thirsty," she said weakly. "Where am I? Where are you taking me? Who are these people you keep talking about? Where are Kriin and Aurelon?"

"What is this, the infinite questions game?" he said rudely. "Listen closely. I'll try and fill you in, even though none of this will matter to you after tonight. First of all, you're just going to have to stay thirsty because in a few minutes, it will be the least of your worries. Second, we are in the Barrens of Kalimdor and I'm taking you inside this building to meet a friend of mine named Zalinne. And Lastly, your friends are dead and you will most likely be joining them shortly unless you do exactly as you're told."

The orc started dragging Navirra again leading her up a short flight of steps to a metal door. They were greeted there by a large, muscly orc female with a face like a leather glove. They passed by her and another bulky orc that had similar features, but was male. They continued down a dimly lit hallway and through another metal door. This one led them into a large, open area with shipping crates and various other boxes. In the corner was a set of rickety stairs that led up to an office that overlooked the entire storeroom. The office had big, glass windows that revealed two blonde elves, a man and a woman, who were staring down at them.

"Here she is," the caravan driver shouted dropping Navirra at his feet. "I had to kill a few Draenei to get her, but this one was no trouble at all the whole journey here."

The two blondes walked from the window to the office door and down the staircase. The man was thin, but muscular and had a bit of blonde stubble forming on his square chin. The woman was the epitome of perfection. She was flawless in every single way that Navirra could see. She had unblemished tanned skin, long and flowing gold hair, manicured nails, voluptuous curves, and a classically beautiful face like that of a Goddess. Though the man was attractive, he paled in comparison to the elf woman's radiant beauty. They could have been siblings, but Navirra didn't know or care to ask.

The taller of the two, the less attractive male, stopped when they reached the bottom of the stairs and leaned on the railing watching as the woman approached the orc driver and Navirra.

"She is quite attractive for such a young girl," Zalinne said circling Navirra. "Such a pity that we might have to ruin such a beautiful face isn't it Kirandor?"

"Very unfortunate," the man by the stairs said.

"Well, I guess that's the way the cookie crumbles." She bent down to Navirra's level and cupped her bruised chin in her soft hand lifting Navirra's head to face her. "Hello Navirra, my name is Zalinne. Your escort may have mentioned my name to you on the way here. Anyway, I would like to formally introduce myself and my friends. This is my brother Kirandor," she said pointing to the man by the stairs. "And over there is Marge and Thugo, whom you passed on your way in."

She spoke to Navirra as if she was supposed to have heard of these people before. She didn't care either way. It was an intimidation tactic that Zalinne had been using since she started working with the Warchief. However, the only person in the room that Navirra actually recognized was the driver and that is only because they arrived there together. She looked up at him and he smiled, showing off his big, square teeth. This vision of the orc, with the mischievous grin on his face seemed to spark memories in the Navirra's head because her heart started beating fast and a slight sweat broke out on her forehead. She started to recall the confrontation she had had with orcs the day she was captured.

"Don't be nervous my young friend," Zalinne said to Navirra. "We only want to ask you some questions and if you answer correctly we will let you go back home and we won't even mess up your pretty, little face."

"What are you talking about?" Navirra asked puzzled. "Why couldn't you have just asked me questions back on Azuremyst without all of this ridiculously inhumane treatment?"

"Oh, but what fun would that be my dear? Now quit asking the questions, that's our job," Zalinne said turning to Kirandor.

"I don't know anything," Navirra said starting to cry a little. She was actually beginning to get scared.

Zalinne shrugged. "This really is a sad day for you then. I can't believe that you are already making excuses. You haven't even heard the first question. What a shame."

"I seriously don't know anything that will help you. I really think you have the wrong girl," said Navirra. "I've never met any of you before tonight."

"Don't take that tone with me. Do you want us to beat you into submission?" asked Zalinne. "Because these orcs are very good at torturing to get information."

"What information? Why do you keep saying that?" Navirra was very confused as to what this strange woman was talking about.

"Shut your mouth unless I ask you a question." Zalinne wound up and slapped Navirra across the face.

Navirra's head jerked to the side and then recoiled. There was pain, but Navirra would not let it show. She wanted to give the appearance that she was not afraid. The sting from the slap quickly faded away and Navirra grinned.

Zalinne sneered again. "Now, without further interruptions," she said. "Tell me where I can find your Prophet. I need to pay him a little visit."

Navirra's eyes widened and she was beginning to sweat a little. "My Prophet?" she asked.

"Yes, you ignorant fool. Where is your Prophet and where is he hiding all of the Draenei refugees who brought you here to our world?"

Navirra felt an uncomfortable sinking in the pit of her stomach. She began to sweat even more and instinctively looked down at the necklace lying against her chest. She did this a lot when she felt nervous or scared. It was a gift from Velen who had obtained it from the Naaru. The Paladin crest on it always brought her comfort. Zalinne noticed the subtle movement and approached Navirra. She reached into the neck of Navirra's shirt and pulled out the necklace.

"What is this?" the elf woman asked, holding the object up to the others. "This Draenei girl must think she is special."

The orcs laughed. Zalinne laughed also and her face lit up with a big smile. "This won't bring you any luck here." She let go of the necklace and it fell to Navirra's chest again.

"What is this all about?" Navirra asked, sniffling.

"Are you really that dense?" Zalinne asked rudely. "Isn't it obvious why we brought you here?"

Navirra looked down at her necklace again. The shiny crystal gleamed under the lights of the room. She was starting to feel really frightened now and the necklace didn't seem to be offering any comfort as she thought that it would. Navirra wished that she could reach out and tuck the necklace back into her shirt, but her hands were bound. She looked back up at Zalinne. "I have no idea why you brought me here. I don't know the Prophet personally," she lied.

Zalinne shook her head in disgust. "Don't lie to me. I know that you are his Granddaughter and I know that you are holding back because you think that it will protect him. That's because you Draenei all think that you are beyond the reach of fate. Well, let me be the first to tell you that you are sadly mistaken if you think that you can just do whatever you want without consequence. For example, your lying will not be tolerated anymore. I have killed people for lying to me in the past. Don't think I won't give you the same fate. Give me the exact location of your people."

"My head is spinning like crazy. Honestly, I only faintly remember anything past this evening."

"Tell me where they are hiding!" Zalinne screamed.

Navirra's tears finally came, streaming down her cheeks in zigzagging lines. "I can't tell you," she sobbed. "Now please let me go."

"It's really unfortunate that you are so stubborn," Zalinne said snidely. "You really won't help us at all, you worthless goat. I guess we'll have to continue the search on our own. It seems we have no further use for you." She turned to her colleagues. "Get rid of her and make it quick."

"I thought you said I could go home if I answered your questions," Navirra pleaded.

Zalinne ignored her and watched as Kirador left the stairs and joined the orcs in the center of the room. They all walked around Navirra talking quietly to each other. "She's pretty," said the big male orc. "Maybe we could use her for other things."

"Not a chance," said Zalinne, as she motioned for Kirandor to undo Navirra's restraints. "This girl is more trouble than she looks. I don't trust her. It'll be better to just kill her. That's what the Warchief wants anyway."

Navirra brought her arms in front of her and tried to rub the pain out of them. The tenderness made her forget for a moment where she was. The blood rushed back into her hands and it felt so good to finally feel her arms again. "I won't tell anyone where you are if you let me go," she said. "I promise. My lips are still sealed."

"How can we guarantee your continued cooperation?" Zalinne retorted. "We can't. That's why we must silence you permanently. You've seen all of our faces and you know our names, so that makes you disposable. We won't risk releasing you so you can bring an army of Draenei soldiers down upon us."

"You can't do this and get away with it," Navirra interrupted. "Someone will find you even if you kill me. Maybe not today, maybe not even this year, but one day your secrets will be discovered. And on that day, your whole stupid Horde will come crumbling down around you." Navirra knew that she had finally struck a nerve with the elf woman.

Zalinne shook her head again. "Don't talk to me in that manner. Show me some respect." She moved closer to Navirra and bent down to get at eye level. "I know that you think you are tough and you think that you can save your people by resisting me. You're wrong again. Your disrespect is very irritating. I was considering letting you off the hook before, but now I've definitely changed my mind. I am going to hit you where it'll really hurt. I know your family lives somewhere on those islands and I will slaughter each and every one of them just for the fun of it now. I will watch them all beg for their lives as I gut them like murlocs."

"You're absolutely crazy," gasped Navirra. She turned to the others. "Are you all hearing this? Does this not seem abnormal to you? This elf is psychotic."

They all just stared at her and didn't say a word. They were all just as insane as the blonde. There was no way that she was getting out of this alive and neither was her family or her people now. Navirra hung her head low. "You don't have to do this. It's not too late to stop. I promise to not tell anyone about anything. I just want to be in my home again. No Draenei will ever know what happened today. Please let me go."

"Not a chance," said Kirandor as he walked over to grab Navirra's arms again. "No loose ends."

"You sound like a parrot girl. Have some dignity," Zalinne said. "Besides, we can't just let you go. Like I said before, you have seen our faces and learned our names. It would be foolish on our part to act like none of this ever happened."

Navirra looked up still rubbing her swollen wrists. Her blotchy eyes scanned the room. She watched as the three orcs moved in towards her.

"Look away from me girl," Kirandor said rudely. "In fact, close your eyes all together. I can't stand it when people watch me while I work."

Navirra lowered her head, acting as if she had closed her eyes, but leaving one opened slightly so she could peer through the small opening to observe her enemies. The elf male was now crouched by a large box, searching around in it for something. He found it and removed the object from the box, sticking it behind his belt for a moment. Then he mumbled a few words as he spun around to face Navirra again. It sounded to Navirra like the man was reciting some kind of a prayer or ritual, but she wasn't sure.

Kirandor spoke to Navirra as he walked. "I hope that you put all of your affairs in order before you leave this life."

Before Navirra could answer or say anything, she was yanked backwards by an orc. Her arms were again pulled forcefully behind her torso to the point of almost dislocating her shoulders. She was utterly helpless and unable to move or break free. Thugo had her pinned down good. And to make the situation even worse, Kirandor was still moving towards them with a jagged dagger in his hands.

Thugo aggressively lifted Navirra from the ground. The awkward angle of the movement caused her left shoulder to wrench and pop brutally out of socket. Navirra screamed out, more from surprise than from pain, and tried to break away from the orc.

They all burst into laughter and Thugo yelled, "Look at the little baby. She's actually trying to fight it." He let out another hoarse guffaw that tapered into a cough.

Navirra moved her good arm to her chest and clung to her necklace, She found herself praying to any god that would listen and began pleading for the protection of her life. She closed her eyes, but could still feel the twisting force that now radiated through her entire left arm. Just as she was about to give in and accept her fate, a new sound hit her ears. It was the sound of breaking glass followed by the loudest, most piercing roar she had ever heard in her entire life. Her eyes shot open and she saw Kirandor backing away from her with anger and even a little fear on his face. Thugo had loosened his tight grip and was also moving away. Navirra felt a warm, humid breath on the back of her neck and could hear a low rumble that sounded a lot like the purring of a cat.

She managed to move her neck around and found herself face to face with a majestic, bear. It was the most beautiful and elegant thing she had ever laid her eyes on. It stood behind her proud and full of radiating goodness. Its slightly bushy, grey coat puffed out around its head and flowed along its powerful neck, curving down upon its broad shoulders. The face of the bear was fierce, yet its eyes were steady and calm. It had its jaw clenched in a protective manner and its presence was like that of a powerful king. It was a beacon of hope in the dusty warehouse.

Normally Navirra would be afraid in this type of situation, but at this moment she felt more secure next to the wild beast then she had been near her captors. Almost as if the animal had interpreted her thoughts, it bent forward and lowered its large head as if to tell her to climb on.

Kirandor and Thugo, which at first seemed to almost cower away from the animal, had now regained composure and were considering moving inward again. Large Marge had also started moving towards the commotion in the center of the room. Zalinne pointed at Navirra and yelled, "Grab her now! Kill them both! Do something! Don't let her escape!"

It was like Navirra had fallen asleep and entered an unexplainable nightmare. She watched as the enemies closed in on her and the bear. She closed her eyes again and tried to wash this vision from her mind. Then she felt a nudge in the small of her back. She opened her eyes and saw that the bear had knelt down on its front legs to make the mounting easier. It was staring right at her with its deep brown eyes as if trying to tell her something.

Navirra nodded to the bear and it immediately scooped her up onto its back with its powerful neck. She clung to the soft fur between its shoulders and watched as it gave one final ear piercing growl before leaping over the orcs, knocking them back. The bear bolted swiftly across the warehouse floor and bounded through a large window, shattering it to pieces and landing gracefully on the road outside. Navirra heard screams of anger coming from inside the building. She looked back and saw her enemies pouring out of the broken window after them. She readjusted herself on the beast's back and yelled, "Go!" The bear took off, bounding down the street into the darkness with Navirra holding tight on its back.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

Kriin was still at the clinic recovering when Khaiss entered the room. She was sitting on a bed watching two Draenei younglings playing a game on the floor. Khaiss came in carrying an oversized basket of fruit and flowers, walking slowly trying to avoid any objects. When Kriin saw him she jumped up and helped him ease the basket down onto a nearby table.

"Are these for me?" she asked. "That is so thoughtful of you Khaiss."

"Hi Kriin," Khaiss said, handing the basket to her. "I apologize for not coming earlier, but I was out looking for my sister. I didn't even know you were still here, but I brought these gifts just in case. How are you fairing?"

"It wasn't anything serious, just a few scratches. Have you found Navirra?"

"Not yet," Khaiss answered. "But there is a group of Peacekeepers still out searching. I don't think they will find her here. The island is small and the orcs would not stay here without a larger force. They have most likely taken her somewhere else."

"You're right. I remember the group that attacked us. It was just a small scouting party. They were probably just searching for a good landing spot where they could dock their ships for a major assault on the island. And then they came across an undefended group of Draenei and couldn't resist the temptation to ambush."

"If that is true, and the orcs are amassing for a war, then we must warn Velen. Although, he probably already knows. He usually is able to predict things like this before they happen."

"I'm really worried," Kriin said and her voice cracked a little bit. "I wish I knew more. I don't like being in the dark about things that involve the safety my friends. I heard from one of the priests that the search resulted in the finding of a body. Was it Aurelon?"

"I believe so, but the Peacekeepers haven't released anything to the public yet and they won't give out any information until their investigation is complete. I really hope that Navirra is okay," said Khaiss.

Kriin sat back down on the bed and rubbed her forehead. Khaiss walked over and grabbed a seat next to her, placing an unsteady hand on her shoulder. She looked up and shook her head. "This is all my fault."

"What do you mean? How could this possibly be your fault?"

"I didn't do anything to help when the orcs attacked. I was so scared and so surprised. I hesitated and it got Aurelon killed and Navirra captured." Kriin's hands were shaking.

"Kriin, calm down. It wasn't your fault. You had never been in a fight before. It could've happened to anyone."

"Sorry," she said. "I'm just so angry at myself. I really could've prevented it. I've destroyed tons of training dummies before. My instructors say that I have a great bond with the elements, so it should've been easy to take out a few orcs."

"Kriin, you were hit in the head from behind. Nobody can fault you for that." Khaiss hugged her, but it didn't seem to help calm her down. "Don't put the blame on yourself."

"It doesn't matter who is to blame. Navirra is gone and we need to find her. Are you with me?"

Khaiss stood up. "Of course I am with you, but we can't do it alone. I'm sure that Jemiini will come too, but even three of us is not enough. You should ask that elf friend of yours. What was her name again? Mal…something."

"Maleeah," answered Kriin.

"Right, Maleeah. You should see if she will help us. I've heard that elves are good at tracking and the more of us the better. We don't know how many orcs we are up against and we don't even know where to start looking, so having her around would be a great benefit."

"We can also go talk to the Prophet. Maybe he has seen a vision about where the orcs are hiding. He will help us right?" Kriin asked.

"Perhaps, but I doubt he will agree to us going out there on our own. He has faced the orcs before. He knows how truly dangerous they are. I don't think that telling Velen is the best option we have. Let me start by asking Jemiini if she will help. You just sit tight and recover for now."

With that, Khaiss turned around and started walking towards the door. Kriin picked the basket of fruit back up and headed to her bed to eat. She wanted to get started with their search for Navirra right away and was a little skeptical of inviting Jemiini along, but she let Khaiss leave anyway. She didn't want to involve anyone else that might get hurt and she liked Jemiini, so it was difficult to want her company on their search.

"This is going to be tough," she said to herself as she closed the curtain around her hospital bed and popped a berry in her mouth. It was tart and dry. She spit it out and flopped back on the pillow. She was feeling pretty sick inside anyway and didn't feel like eating anymore.

Khaiss took a short walk from the hospital to Jemiini's Inn apartment. He knocked softly once and Jemiini responded almost instantly. When he saw her face he pulled her in and kissed her on the mouth. "I am glad to see you," he said, pulling back.

Jemiini noticed that his hands were very shaky and he seemed unnerved. She exited the apartment and they walked together to a nearby bench. She had him sit down and then climbed onto his knee. With a big smile, she wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled her head intro his strong chest.

Jemiini's cheerful countenance was a welcomed sight. Khaiss had been so distraught since Navirra had gone missing. It was refreshing to see a smiling face.

"I'm glad that you came," Jemiini said. "I have been meaning to get together since I heard the news of the orc attack. I'm so sorry that your sister is still missing. I will do anything I can to help you get her back."

"That's why I came to you now," Khaiss said with a slight smile. "Believe me, I love being in your company all the time. I just wish that we could have met today under less extreme circumstances."

"Me too Khaiss, but we must not get discouraged yet. I think that we can still contain what is happening here."

"What exactly is happening Jemiini?" Khaiss asked.

"I know that this is a difficult time for you, but Navirra is most likely still alive. If that is the case, then we need to find her and see what the orcs are really doing. Her abduction might be minor compared to what they have planned."

"How can my sister's disappearance be minor in any way?"Khaiss asked a bit angrily.

Jemiini started to talk again. "I didn't mean it like that. Of course this is serious, but if the orcs are taking prisoners, then maybe there is a reason."

"They don't operate like that. Orcs are bloodthirsty animals," Khaiss said. "They don't need a good reason to capture or kill us. They had no reason back on Draenor and they nearly wiped our race out completely. We need to stop talking and start searching. I have already decided to go with Kriin to find her. Will you come with us? It would help to have another warrior by my side."

Jemiini's brow furled. "I don't know. Three of us against an entire army of orcs. It doesn't sound wise. You know that I love you and would die for you, but I don't want my death to be premature if it doesn't have to be. I will go with you and Kriin as long as you agree to do it my way. I won't go charging in there just to die. We need to do this secretively."

"Fine," said Khaiss. "We can sneak in and rescue her. I don't care how we do it as long as we get Navirra back."

"That will be the priority, but I also want to infiltrate their stronghold and see if we can find out how they got here and why they are still hostile towards us."

"You're not thinking clearly Jemiini," said Khaiss. "We shouldn't risk it. We need to just get Navirra and get out."

"Hear me out. What if this is larger than we think? There could be something secret going on behind the scenes. They are abducting and using our people for a reason. It could be anything from forced slave labor to demonic possession again. If they are corrupted then we need to know."

"Is there any other evidence that this might be the case?" Khaiss asked. "What else has happened that you know about? Were their more disappearances like Navirra's?"

"Not that I've heard, but with enough digging maybe we could find something."

"There better be a good explanation. Our people won't stand by idly this time around. If the orcs want a war, then that's what they'll get."

"And if not, then we will be the ones to find that out. Let's go get Kriin and head out within the hour."

Khaiss nodded, leaned in for another kiss, and then ran to go help Kriin prepare for their journey.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

The cool night air felt nice on her skin. It seemed like she had sweat gallons inside that musty warehouse, but now her skin felt refreshed and it helped her finally relax a little. Navirra was still mounted on the back of the bear without anything between the animal and her thin clothing. She was gripping the neck fur, but she didn't have to cling on so tightly now because the bear had slowed down a bit. They were still moving at a good pace, but the bear was being more cautious now, making sure that its rider was comfortable. It also seemed like the bear was trying to remain undetected. They were constantly darting in and out of shadows and dark places, keeping to the alleyways and backstreets of the Crossroads, but occasionally they would have to sprint across an open area. Navirra had never been in this town before so she had no idea where they were going or even in which direction they were heading.

Her emotions were a wreck. She didn't know quite how to feel at this moment. Part of her was saying that she was crazy for riding on the back of a strange beast that she had never met and one that could possibly turn on her at any minute. Yet another part of her was just happy to still be alive after the night's events.

The animal continued to move towards the outskirts of the town. She hadn't said a word since they left the warehouse. She still couldn't really believe that she was riding a grizzly in the first place. Maybe she was just going crazy and this was all a long dream. It didn't feel like a dream though. She could feel the hard muscles of the bear's back and shoulders under her body. She could hear the heavy breathing with each leap it took. She could smell the faint scent of wild animal, a kind of musky odor that was both pleasing and putrid at the same time. She could also see the ripples in its smoky, charcoal colored hide bunch up where her fingers clung to its fur. If this was a dream then it was the most realistic dream she had ever had. If this was a dream then she shouldn't have been as tired as felt. She leaned forward and laid her head on a soft patch of the bear's mane and tried again to rest.

The bear finally passed the last row of buildings and crossed a street into the open desert. Onward it leapt, bounding through the sagebrush and field grass. There was a long way to go, but the bear didn't falter or stop to rest. It continued to run with Navirra on its back, carrying them both to safety far away from the lights of the orc town. The moon and stars shone down upon them as they ventured into the unknown night.

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

Kriin had been sitting around the hospital for quite a while, waiting for Khaiss to return. She was feeling very lazy because she hadn't done anything productive for the last few hours. She was also starting to wonder why he hadn't returned yet. Khaiss told her that he would only be gone for an hour or two. Maybe he had run into trouble convincing Jemiini to tag along. Regardless, Kriin knew that Navirra was still missing and she felt horrible about not doing anything to help find her, but she didn't want to leave without her friends. This idleness was killing her and if she didn't do something other than watch children play games, she was going to drive herself crazy.

She got up from the bed and walked to the door. She exited the hospital and ascended the ramp that led to the entrance of the Exodar. It was sunny and pleasant outside so she walked out into the courtyard area. I wonder what's taking Khaiss so long. She scratched her head. I hope he's okay. That would be just my luck, losing all of my friends in the same week.

Kriin leaned on a wooden fence and strained her eyes to see as far down the road as she could. There was nothing moving except the grass and the few trees that lined the road. I feel completely alone right now. This whole situation is unfortunate. I could really be helping out there. They are wasting precious time.

She picked up a twig from the ground and flicked it into the yard. It bounced a few times and came to a rest near the elekk taxi. This little bit of excitement cured her boredom momentarily so she continued to pick up and throw whatever she could find laying around the courtyard. She continued this for about 10 minutes until she heard voices coming from inside the entrance to the ship. She stopped mid-throw and turned to look behind her. She saw two Draenei rushing out, one behind the other. The first, she noticed, was Khaiss and the one behind him looked like Jemiini, although it was hard to tell because they were both wearing heavy plate armor.

They ran up to her and told her to follow. Kriin dropped the rock she was holding and ran across the yard to the road that led off to Azure Watch.

"Where are we going?" Kriin asked, trying to keep pace with the others.

"To my pod to get some supplies," Khaiss answered, not turning to face her or slowing down. "And then we board a ship bound for the mainland."

"Finally," Kriin said with a smile. She quickened her pace and before long the three of them were armed and ready for their adventure.

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

Navirra woke up a few hours later when she felt her body suddenly come to a stop. She opened her heavy eyes and it took a minute for them to adjust to the darkness. She was still mounted on the back of the grizzly, but it had stopped moving. She wondered how long she had been out. It seemed like hours, but she didn't know for sure. She couldn't believe the bear had been running the whole time. She tried to find out where they were now, but there was nothing to see in the dark. There were a few spruce tree silhouettes nearby, but nothing else recognizable. Her head still hurt a little and she had that feeling of being exhausted after a bad nap.

The bear sat back on its haunches and she slid off onto the dusty ground next to it. The dirt was still warm from the sun even though it had set hours ago. It felt nice though. Navirra sprawled out stretching her still sore legs. When she stretched her arms a sharp pain flared up around her dislocated left shoulder. "Ouch," she cried out, wincing. She gritted her teeth together, placing her hand on the joint. She squeezed her eyes shut and gave a hard push. The bones snapped back together with an audible pop. Navirra screamed into the still night air and tears streamed down her cheeks. The pain subsided very quickly, but there was a lingering numbness. It made her feel calm and sleepy, so she curled up next to the beast and rested her head on the bear's hind legs.

Then she heard it speak. Its mouth did not open, nor did the voice seem to be coming from its lips. It was more like a mental link as if the bear was speaking to her mind instead of her ears. "We will rest for a while," it said. "I think we are safe for the night. We will continue once you have properly rested and regained your strength."

She lifted her head and stared at the animal. She was confused and a little surprised. She didn't know what to make of this. Never before had she heard an animal talk, but she was almost positive that she had just heard this bear speaking. She didn't know how to respond. If she was crazy and just hearing things, then talking back wouldn't matter because she was already insane. However, if the animal actually had spoken to her, then she surely didn't want to anger it by not responding. So, she smiled and softly said, "Thank you for everything."

Navirra immediately felt stupid talking to the strange creature, but she was glad that she did because in the slight chance that she wasn't crazy, she wanted to express her appreciation to the animal. The last thing she needed was to be out in the middle of nowhere with a pissed off bear. Besides, she was actually beginning to really like her new companion. Not only had it saved her life and helped her escape, but it had treated her well the entire time. She didn't understand why it wasn't eating her. Without getting another vocal response from the bear Navirra shrugged and laid her head back down on its soft fur. She lay like this until she drifted off to sleep, feeling the bear's chest rise and fall as she sank deeper into her slumber. They laid together through the entire rest of the night.

The sun had been shining for about an hour when it finally started getting hot enough to rouse Navirra from her restful slumber. The bear woke up when it felt her stirring. It looked over at her with its big, brown eyes.

"Good morning," it said.

Navirra raised an eyebrow. This time she had surely heard it speak. "Good morning," she responded. She sat up and looked around. "Where are we?"

"Somewhere near the west end of Ashenvale forest. We went north from the Barrens last night while you were resting. We have been traveling along the top of these hills because I wanted to make sure we were close enough to civilization to survive, but not close enough to be discovered."

In the distance Navirra could see a great sea. She looked in the other direction and saw black tree covered hills as far as her vision could go. The world seemed so big out here and it made Navirra feel very small. Her feelings of solitude made her yearn to be home with her family. For now she would have to rely on her new companion for comfort. She needed to gain its trust if she was going to survive this. "Where are you taking me?" she asked.

"I had no particular destination in mind when I first picked you up. I only wanted to get you as far from those enemies as possible," it said. "You have no idea what kind of trouble you were in back there. Even I did not know it fully before last night."

"Who are you?" she asked. "Do you have a name or something that I can call you?"

"My name is Ashe," the beast said. "I am a Night Elf druid. I met you once back when you first arrived on Azuremyst Isle. My mother is an ambassador to your people and my sister Maleeah is good friends with Kriin."

Navirra smiled. "I remember you," she said. "It's very nice to see you again. I see that your training is going well."

The bear made a head gesture that looked like a nod. At that moment the bear began to change in front of her. It grew smaller and the hair began to recede into its body. Where claws once were, fingernails now appeared and the joints in its hind legs inverted to form knees. It rose up onto its legs and stood. After a few seconds the bear was no longer a beast at all, but an elf. He had the same brown eyes that the bear had had, but his skin was much lighter than the fur had been.

Navirra took a step back. She couldn't believe her eyes. She then reached out without thinking and touched his bare chest. Ashe watched her with interest and giggled when her fingers came in contact with his skin. Navirra ran them along the lines of his muscles from his pectorals down across his abs. They were hard and toned. He was definitely real and definitely not a bear anymore.

Ashe cocked his head to the side and put a hand on her shoulder to get her attention. She looked up, realized what she was doing, and jumped back. "Oh my," she said. "I'm so sorry. I didn't even think about invading your personal space. Please forgive me. I'm not in my right mind."

Ashe busted out laughing. "It's okay Navirra. I'm not offended. You've never seen anything like this before. I understand your curiosity. It's not every day that you see a beast turn into an elf."

She blushed. "I guess this means that we're officially friends now."

"Indeed we are," said Ashe. "And don't worry about offending me. I'm pretty laid back."

Navirra felt so embarrassed. She couldn't believe that she had just touched a stranger's half-naked body. And he didn't even slap her hand away. In fact, he seemed to have enjoyed the whole encounter. That made it feel even more awkward. Navirra tried to shake out of her embarrassment.

"Come on Navirra. Let's take a walk." He began to move away from her towards the west.

Navirra sprinted to catch up with him. "Excuse me," she called after him. "Where are we going?"

"Home of course, but not right now," said Ashe, as if Navirra was dumb for even suggesting it. "You are a popular girl with some very bad people right now. I think that it would be better if you laid low for a bit. They will be very angry about losing you last night, so anywhere that you usually hang out is not a safe place to go. They will most likely be watching your island for the next little while, waiting for you to pop back up so they can grab you again and torture you until you lead them to the Exodar."

"I guess you're probably right," said Navirra. "But I can't go with you either. I am not a Night Elf. I won't fit in inside your cities."

"Who told you that?"

"I don't know. Nobody I guess. I just thought that it was common knowledge."

"Well I don't know where you're getting your information, but it's wrong. Of course you are welcome in our lands, especially considering your current circumstances. We are allies."

"How did you know where to find me anyways?"

"I have been living temporarily on your island since my mother started working with your leaders. I get bored sometimes and just go out in my bear form to explore. I witnessed the orc ambush and followed the caravan to where I found you."

"So you were spying on us?"

"Well, when you say it like that it sounds bad," said Ashe sheepishly. "I was just out exploring when I came upon your group. It wasn't like I was following you or anything."

"Well either way I'm glad that you were there. I owe you my life. Thank you Ashe."

The elf smiled. "You actually owe me twice," he said. "It wasn't the first time I rescued you from certain death."

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't you remember the cave? You fell into a cave and got chased by something terrible. I was there to pull you out of the water you fainted in."

"So you are a spy then?" Navirra gave him an accusing look. "You really do like to follow my people around."

"Hey, at least I was there to save you right?"

"It seems a little creepy to know that I have been watched without my knowledge. It's not a coincidence that you happened to be near me both times that I almost died. Are you stalking me?"

Ashe blushed. "Well you are interesting. You enjoy going exploring just like me. I thought that I would tag along."

"Why didn't you just ask to join us instead of lurking in the shadows?"

"I'm shy I guess."

Navirra rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say."

"I apologize if I offended you in any way. Spying is just in my nature. We Night Elves have been using stealth to our advantage for centuries. We can make ourselves virtually invisible and go nearly undetected whenever we choose."

"Why would you need such an ability?"

"It helps us to defend ourselves in most circumstances. If we are able to monitor our enemies and detect their actions before they do them, then we can always stay one step ahead and have an advantage in battle."

"What enemies do you even have? I thought all of the races on this world were friendly and hospitable."

"Not at all," said Ashe. "The orcs are hostile towards us as well. Ever since they showed up here, my people have been fighting them and trying to get them to leave our lands."

"The orcs live in your lands?"

"At first they were not even on our continent. They came from the East, but eventually they landed on the shores of Kalimdor and began to claim the area for themselves, usually through bloodshed."

"That sounds like the same orcs I know," added Navirra. "They nearly destroyed my entire race before the few survivors came here."

"My mother told me about your people's history. It is tragic. That is why us elves are so concerned with the green skins. And we became even more wary when they started building that massive wall."

Navirra raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What wall?" she asked.

"The orcs built a giant, circular wall around one of the grasslands in the center of Kalimdor. A place called Mulgore."

"Why? What are they using it for?"

"We don't know for sure yet, but my people have been monitoring the actions of the orcs ever since the construction started. We think it might be some kind of a prison, but for whom we do not know. I've been watching them myself from a distance for a while now. My druid trainer has had all of us new recruits keep an eye on the orcs since we graduated from our lessons."

"So the orcs just barged into your lands and started building?"

"Those grasslands actually belong to a nomadic tribe of bovines called Tauren. We elves have been sharing and living in harmony with them for years."

"Where are the Tauren now?"

Ashe hung his head low. "The orcs slaughtered many of them and the rest they either locked up inside their wall or drove them away to the South."

"I'm so sorry," said Navirra. "No one should ever be pushed out of their homes."

"And to make it worse, the orcs supposedly tried to give the Tauren a little bit of land east of Mulgore as if it would make up for taking their ancestral homelands."

The mood had changed. Ashe was becoming very passionate with his words. Navirra could tell that he was very worked up about the land issue. She reached out and put a calming hand on his arm. "It's okay Ashe," she said. "I'm here to listen. You don't need to get angry with me. I'm on your side and when I get home I will tell our Prophet about your dilemma and that of the Tauren. I'm sure that he will want to help. We share a common enemy in the orcs."

Ashe got excited and began jumping around. As he moved he started shifting again until his body and changed back into the bear. He continued to jump around, bounding up and down in the sand and letting out wild growls of joy. After a few moments he settled back down and trotted back over to Navirra.

"We should get going. My mother is waiting for us. I can't wait to formally introduce you two. I think you will really like her."

"Hopefully," Navirra said, a little worried.

"Besides, after I all that has happened to you recently, I kind of feel responsible for your safety, so let me take you to my mother. She will know what to do next. I know that this is all a little hard to comprehend in your damaged frame of mind, but you need to trust me. This is all real. The danger you were in last night was very real. I am real too. You found that out this morning when you tried to seduce me."

"I wasn't trying to seduce you," Navirra replied defensively. "And I already apologized for that."

"I know. I was only joking with you. But I'm not joking about anything else I have said. You need to understand that there are many things that you don't know about this world you live in now. But if you stick with me, then I think you'll learn quickly. And hey, you might even like what you learn. It will all make sense in time. That's why I waited until this morning to let you see me shift. You would've freaked out if I had done it last night, right after the rescue."

"Did you really think that it would get any easier with time?" Navirra asked. "Would druid shapeshifting ever be easy to comprehend?"

"I understand your point, but I didn't feel like I had a choice at the time. I simply did what I thought was right. I got caught up in the heat of the moment."

"What's right? You're just a kid. How do you know the difference between what's wrong and what's right?" Navirra felt herself starting to get a little heated. She was having a lot of weird panic attacks ever since the orc ambush. Her face blushed and she started to shake. "My life is so mixed up right now. I just want to go home and forget all of this."

"Navirra please don't be that way," the bear said. "I understand your frustration, but you must stay level headed for now. We can't risk anything out here on our own. We must get to Darnassus as quickly and safely as possible."

"I don't care what you want to do," she said rudely. "I'm not going anywhere with you anymore. How do I know you and your people are any better than those freakish orcs back at that warehouse? You've already admitted to lying and stalking." She got up and started shuffling towards the forest with her arms folded across her chest.

"Navirra wait," Ashe called. "It is not safe to wander off by yourself. They could be searching for us…" He trailed off and then added another phrase. "And the forest is just going to get darker as night falls."

She completely ignored the boy-beast and kept walking. He was probably right, but she assumed that she could survive on her own, so she pressed on with her stubbornness. She had only gotten a few yards when she heard the sound of thundering paws behind her. She didn't turn to see. She just kept walking with an unpleased look on her face. The pounding got louder until it sounded like it was right behind her. She felt her hair lift and the sun was blotted out for a second as the bear's massive body flew over her head and landed in front of her kicking up a cloud of dust. Ashe spun around and growled at her, baring his teeth.

Navirra instantly froze and then took a step backwards. Ashe stepped forward with every step back that she took. His piercing gaze was a little frightening and he continued to stare at her with his teeth out.

"Navirra stop walking away," he said from inside the bear. "I am not here to hurt you. I need you to trust me. I am your only hope at this point. You can't risk getting picked up by them again. You need to stick with me."

Her eyes swelled up and a tear fell down her left cheek. She stood there crying and feeling both scared and embarrassed. She couldn't stop though. The tears continued to come and Ashe just watched. She tried to speak through her sobs. "Okay," she finally said. "Okay, I'll go with you. Please get me out of this awful place."

Ashe walked over to her and nuzzled her chin with his big nose. She reached up and rubbed the fur.

"It will all be better soon," he said. "Climb on my back. We will go find you something to eat and then we can get you out of this here."

The bear scooped her up and then bounded off through the sand again. This was all beginning to take its toll on Navirra. She couldn't help but feel a little vulnerable. Plus, with so much of her present life being straight out of a dream, she was starting to feel a little crazy too. Her mind hadn't stopped racing since the attack. It made her wonder if none of this would have happened if she had just done something differently.

Oh well, it's too late now. I didn't do anything different and now I'm suffering for it. I wish it was easier to just accept everything this way and move on, but I'm still almost completely unsure about what all of this is. The boy keeps telling me that there is something bigger going on behind the scenes. What does that even mean? Will I ever be able to trust anyone ever again? These were the kind of thoughts that were clouding Navirra's mind and making it so hard to relax. What she wouldn't give for a warm shower, a hot meal, and about a full week of good sleep.

Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a loud snort. Navirra shook her head and focused her eyes in the direction of the noise. The bear sneezed again and then pounced away, galloping through the lowlands. They kept mostly to the edge of the beach, moving swiftly through bushes and trees towards the Auberdine.

Eventually they came upon the outskirts of the town. The journey had started to get extremely uncomfortable. The late summer sun was beating down on them and Navirra's clothes were drenched with sweat. The bear's back wasn't the most comfortable seat in the world either, even though his fur was soft to the touch. It was wide, there was no saddle, and she was starting to get bad cramps from keeping her legs apart for so long. She really wanted this ride to end and she felt that Ashe could sense her discomfort.

"You okay? We can stop to rest for a bit. You need to get something to drink. I'm sure that you must be thirsty," he said in his calm voice.

"Thank you," she said weakly. "I am parched."

Ashe slowed and stopped running. He trotted over to a spruce tree and gently laid Navirra down in a cool patch of field grass. "I will return shortly," Ashe said. "Until then I suggest you rest your limbs. We still have a ways to go."

"Okay," she said as she leaned up against the tree. "See if you can find something to eat also. I'm starting to feel a little light-headed."

Ashe nodded and then sprang back out into the sun.

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

The Exodar Peacekeepers came around the corner at that very moment as if Zalinne had summoned them. The two Draenei saw the wrecked wagon and guided their elekk over to offer some assistance. "Warm wishes, pretty lady. You look like you could use some help," the older Peacekeeper said.

Zalinne was looking away from them. When she heard the voice was male she unbuttoned her shirt a little and pushed her boobs together creating some nice cleavage. She then stood up, twirled around slowly, and made an effort to push her chest out at the officer. In her best helpless accent she said, "I seem to have broken a wheel here and I can't figure out how to fix it. We sure could use your help." She pointed to her borther who was still sitting atop the wagon.

The Peacekeeper who had spoken dismounted his elekk and sauntered over to Zalinne, shifting his pants and hiking his belt to hide his somewhat hefty gut. "Let me see what I can do to assist you ma'am," he said sporting a smile that exposed his big, crooked teeth.

"You're so nice," she said, flashing him a pouty smile of her own. "You're big and strong too. I like that in a man." She swatted his rear playfully as he bent to inspect the wheel causing him to chuckle and blush. She bent down behind him and pulled a dagger from her pocket.

"There's a bad gash in your axle," the Draenei said, running his finger along the hole in the wood.

"Not as bad as this gash," Zalinne said. She quickly lifted her knife towards the officer, plunged the blade into his fat neck, and pulled it across the Peacekeeper's throat, opening it up like a bloody, red smile. The Draenei dropped like a sack of bricks in front of her, his head hitting the wagon and twisting grotesquely.

Zalinne wasted no time. She was already repositioning the blade in her fingers before the other officer could dismount.

"By the Light!" he yelled, trying to draw his weapon. It caught on a piece of leather giving Zalinne the advantage.

Zalinne whirled around, raising the dagger. She didn't hesitate, even for a second. The Peacekeeper had no chance. The blade flew from her fingers in a flash and ripped the top of his head open, spraying chunks of blood and flesh in all directions.

"That was easy," Zalinne said to herself. "Now for the hard part." She wiped a few beads of sweat from her upper lip and turned towards her brother. "Time to unload."

Kirandor leaned forward and pulled the tarp off the back of the wagon. Thugo, Marge, and three other orcs were hunched down inside. When they saw the light, they jumped out with weapons in hand. "For the Horde!" they all yelled in unison.

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

Navirra sat up and tried to fix her wind-blown hair. It was a hopeless mess. If only she had brought a headband or some hair pins. She looked out over the sea and could see Ashe approaching fast from a distance. He had something in his mouth and the object swung back and forth as he ran. As the bear got closer she noticed that the thing in his mouth was a burlap sack. Ashe slowed down and laid the bag at her feet when he got under the tree.

"What's this?" she asked confused.

"This is the best I could find out here," said Ashe, shaking beads of sweat from his neck. "Please, eat." He nudged the bag towards her with his paw. "It's not fancy but it will keep you satisfied until we can get you something better."

Navirra reached into the sack and pulled out an apple. It was partially rotten and it had bear drool all over it. "You call this food?" she said looking at him with an eyebrow raised.

"Yes, it's apples," he said. "What did you expect, kodo steak? I could have brought back a dead animal carcass if that's what you'd prefer."

"Gross," she said tossing the apple back in the bag. "Now I've lost my appetite. Thanks for that visual Ashe."

"Navirra you must eat something. You need the juices in the apples so you don't get dehydrated." He pushed the bag towards her again.

"Can't you just bring me closer to a town where I can get something more filling?" she asked.

"Exactly where do we get something filling? We can't just waltz into a place in our filthy clothes and order lobster. And how do you expect to purchase the food anyway? In case you have forgotten, we aren't exactly full of gold at the moment."

"You don't have to be rude," she said turning away from him. "Let's just go then. I'll get something to eat when we get wherever it is we are going."

"You really need to eat something now Navirra, or else you'll feel really sick when we get Darnsassus. Your body is still trying to adapt to the shock of what has happened. Food will help."

"Fine," she said reaching back into the bag and producing another soggy apple. She lifted it to her mouth and cringed. "This is so disgusting." She bit into it and forced herself to swallow. It was bitter and mushy, but she still managed to keep it down. The boy was right. She would need the strength.

After finishing the apple she climbed back onto the bear and it started running again. For being so hot and uncomfortable, this journey didn't seem to faze Ashe at all. He never slowed and he never complained. He just kept on running hour after hour, trying to get them to safety as soon as he could. It made her feel good to know that Ashe cared so much for her. She was actually starting to like him. After all, she could have a much worse travel companion.

She held on tight and watched the miles fly by as they made a large crescent along the shoreline. After what seemed like an eternity they came to the edge of Auberdine. The bear continued along the perimeter until it reached the docks. It descended a rough slope and skidded to a stop near a wooden fence.

Navirra sensed that he was done running and jumped down from his back. Ashe walked over to the planks and stood in front of a gap between two boards. He looked around to check for any observers and then pushed on the fence with his paw. A small piece of the fence slid to the side making a whole large enough to climb through like a door.

"We're almost there Navirra," he said as he changed back into his elf form. "We continue by boat from here."

Ashe took a few steps back so Navirra had room to move through the opening in the fence. He moved through behind her and then replaced the boards. From there they continued to walk along the planks out to where the pier dropped into the sea. Navirra could smell the sweeter air here and there was even a cool breeze as they sat down, dangling their feet over the edge. A short time later a ship appeared, its purple Darnassian flags flapping wildly in the wind. It slowed as it approached and finally stopped so they could board.

The trip across the water was short and Navirra was grateful. She had never been fond of traveling by boat. Even on an empty stomach it was difficult for her to keep from feeling nauseated. After holding in the soggy apples for long enough, Navirra had finally decided that she would have to purge them over the side of the ship, but before she had the chance she felt the ship slowing and heard Ashe.

"We are here," he said from beside her.

Navirra moved in front of him and looked around. All that she could see was a steep embankment covered in extremely tall trees. Between two giant trunks was a path that curved up the hill and then dropped out of sight. She could barely see over the little hill, but there appeared to be some rooftops of houses just over the slope. "Where exactly are we?" she asked.

"This is Rut'theran village. That road will take us to Darnassus. My mother should be there. We must go to her now. It has been a long time since I left and she is surely worried."

"You sure do speak well, for such a young kid," Navirra said. "Your parents taught you well."

"My parents are the best people you'll ever meet," Ashe said. "Well, at least my mother. My father passed away when I was young." He grabbed her hand and escorted her off the ship to the path. "Maybe I'll tell you about him sometime. For now, let's go find my mother." He ran up the little embankment, pulling Navirra along.

"That was fun," Navirra added as they crested the slope and entered through a portal that transported them into the city.

"I thought you'd like it," Ashe said with a grin, stepping out of the pink light and into the central plaza of Darnassus. "I used to live only a few houses down this road. That was before we moved out to Azuremyst for the job. Anyway, my mother is probably in our old place right now. I must leave you for a brief time to go and check in with the Druid enclave, but it shouldn't be hard to find my old home. It's the only brown house on this row. I will meet up with you later. You'll be fine on your own if you hurry. Go to the house and speak to my mother. Tell her I sent you."

Navirra looked down the street to see if she could see the house. "I don't see it," she said turning back to him.

He was gone.

She didn't even hear him leave. "Whoa, that was quick." She turned back around and started walking down the road. After passing the first house Navirra stopped and stood in the middle of the street facing the pools and collecting her thoughts. A slight, chilly breeze drifted up around her. A few lone leaves blew lazily down the street and into the gutter. She watched them move a little further with each new gust of wind. She smiled and enjoyed the fresh coolness on her sunburned skin. She closed her eyes and stuck her arms out making a letter T with her body. The wind continued to blow, enveloping her skin with its soothing touch. It began picking up speed, blowing her white hair out over her shoulders like a cape. For the first time since the abduction, she actually felt peaceful. This feeling did not last long.

"Are you okay?" a voice said from behind her.

Navirra spun around startled. She saw a little, old elf woman standing in one of the nearby yards wearing a flower-print bonnet. She was holding a gardening spade in one hand and a watering can in the other. "Oh, I'm fine," Navirra responded. "I was just enjoying the fresh air."

The old elf smiled at her. "What's your name child?" she asked.

"I'm…" Navirra was about to say her name, but seeing as she didn't know the woman and didn't feel safe anymore after what had happened, she decided to make a name up. "I'm Carly. Well actually it's Carlotta, but everyone calls me Carly." The lie sounded stupid as soon as it came out, but the old elf was none the wiser.

"Nice to meet you Carly," the woman said with another smile. "My name is Maelora Butterfield. I haven't seen your kind around here before. Are you staying with someone here in the city?"

"Kind of," Navirra answered. As soon as she said it, she started to fear the woman would begin to suspect her of mischief.

"Kind of?" the elf woman asked, puzzled.

"Well yeah," Navirra replied. She tried to think of how she could salvage the situation. "I'm staying with Opalora down the street, but only for a short time."

"Oh, you're a friend of Opalora's? Well, that's just wonderful. She is such a nice young woman. Like yourself, I'm sure."

"Yeah, she's great." Navirra started to walk down the street. "I better get going now. It was nice to meet you Miss Butterfield." She waved at the old elf. The woman waved back and then bent down to water some of the flower pots that lined her yard.

Navirra continued down the street not having any idea which house was supposed to be Ashe's. All of the houses looked brown to her. She tried to remember if she had heard him describe any other features of the house, but she couldn't recall anything. After walking half way down the street, she turned around and started heading back towards the house with the old elf woman. She got there and saw that the woman was still outside. She was now up on a ladder on the front porch, pouring water in a couple of hanging planters.

"Excuse me," Navirra said. "Miss Butterfield."

The old elf jumped a little and nearly teetered off the ladder. She caught the roof at the last second, steadying herself on the top rung. "Oh my," she said, flustered. "I almost broke my noggin. You scared me half to death child."

"Sorry," Navirra said humbly.

"What can I do for you sweetie?"

"Well actually, I'm kind of lost," Navirra said with a sheepish grin on her face. "I don't remember which house is Opalora's"

The old woman stepped down from the ladder and removed the gardening gloves she was wearing, laying them on the railing. "How could you forget where she lives?" she asked. The tone in her voice sounded a little frightened. "There's only a dozen houses on this street. Are you sure you aren't keeping something from me young lady? Your clothes are a tad bit dirty and you look like you've been wandering around the streets for days. Are you a vagrant?"

Navirra started getting nervous. She could feel little beads of sweat forming on her forehead. "Umm, not really," she answered. "Like I said, I'm staying with Opalora and her son Ashe, but I just arrived this morning and it was dark when I got to their house the first time so I can't remember what it looked like from the outside."

"Don't play me for a fool," the old elf said. "I can tell when somebody's lying. I don't think you should be here. I've seen young people like you around these parts before. No good, troublemaking youth. I should call the Sentinels." She turned around and headed for the front door. Navirra watched stunned, as the woman went inside, locking the door behind her.

I've gotta get out of here, Navirra thought. She moved down the elf's yard and back into the street. She kept looking back over her shoulder at the house of the old woman. She saw the lady standing in the window watching her. Navirra increased her pace, moving quickly down the street. She passed by four houses, two split-levels and two hollows. At the second hollow she stopped. For a minute she thought she heard someone call her name. She looked over her shoulder and saw no one. She looked at the house and saw the curtains were all drawn. It looked deserted. The yard was un-mowed, the porch light was busted, the stairs to the front door were cracked and weathered, and there was a pile of trash nest to the door. Navirra looked back to the front of the house and saw a figure that wasn't there before disappear from behind the curtains. The drapes rustled back into place. Then she saw two fingers split the curtains and in the space between she saw a pair of eyes staring at her.

Navirra felt like she was being watched from everywhere now. She continued walking, now much faster than before. She moved to the other side of the street and up onto the sidewalk. She just wanted to get out of the open.

Why had Ashe left her here without protection and without better directions?

She began to feel vulnerable and helpless again. She almost wanted to start crying. Then she heard her name again. This time it was louder and more precise. She didn't stop moving. In fact, she started full out running as fast as her hooves would let her go. She moved with ease down the sidewalk, speeding past mailboxes and decorative rock gardens. She came to a halt at the end of the street. It branched in three directions. She had no idea which way to go.

She stepped off the curb into the intersection and didn't hear the Nightsaber until it was too late. The cat's passenger didn't notice her either. Navirra saw the shiny black fur just as the cat collided with her, sending the rider and the contents of the rider's basket, over the harness and into the road. Navirra also went sprawling into the gravel, feeling the skin on her right knee burst open upon impact.

The Nightsaber rider was getting up and looking at the damage to herself and her cat. "What were you thinking?" she said turning to Navirra.

Navirra looked from her scraped knee to the elf. "I'm sorry. It was an accident."

"Why were you wandering in the middle of the street anyway?" the elf said. "You're just asking to get hit. You're lucky it was just me and not a wagon."

"I was looking for a house and wasn't paying attention to my surroundings. Again, I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I'm not hurt. How about you? Is that blood on your knee?" The elf was pointing at Navirra's leg. A maroon stain was bleeding through the fabric of her breeches over the knee.

"Yes, but I'm fine. It's just a scratch I think."

The elf walked over to Navirra's side and helped her up. "I guess I should be the one apologizing then." Navirra was still in shock from the accident. The other woman pulled her to the grassy area near the sidewalk and then went back in the street to recover her belongings. She gathered up her things, shoved them in the bent basket, and walked her cat over to where Navirra was sitting, holding her split knee.

"Did I hurt your mount?" said Navirra, pointing at the agitated animal.

"That's okay. I doubt you hurt anything other than her pride. Right now we need to get you some first aid for that knee," the stranger said. "You said you were looking for a house? Do you know somebody around here?"

"I'm looking for Opalora or her son Ashe. . He was the one who led me to this street, but didn't give me an exact address."

"I'm Opalora!" the elf said surprised. "My son sent you here?"

"Is your son named Ashe," answered Navirra.

"Ashelar, actually. But why would he send you to me? I am an Ambassador to your people. Maybe he thought I could help you. Are you in some kind of trouble? Let's go inside and talk." She motioned towards one of the houses. "I can't believe you were just wandering around out here. Didn't Ashelar tell you where to go?"

"He did, but I don't remember what he said," Navirra answered. "I'm just glad that I ran into you, literally."

"Well let's get going. My house is the brown one just over there." She pointed back up the street again. "You go ahead. I'll be right behind you. I'm going to stable my mount around back. The front door should be unlocked."

Navirra stood up and limped towards the house. She entered the little home and was met by the most heavenly smell she had smelt in a long time. The house was filled with the welcoming scent of fresh baking bread. It made her mouth water. She couldn't even remember when the last time was that she had eaten something filling. Her stomach growled loudly.

"We better get you something to eat," Opalora said behind her as she closed the front door and removed her jacket to hang it on a coat rack in the foyer. She was wearing a v neck blouse under the jacket that said 'Save the Murlocs' on the front in bubbly green letters. The shirt lifted when she reached to hang up the jacket exposing her toned stomach. Navirra noticed her navel was surrounded by an intricate tribal tattoo that wove around the belly button and then disappeared below her waist. She also had a flower tattoo on the back of her neck at the hairline and a full sleeve tattoo down her left arm that Navirra almost mistook for the sleeve of an undershirt at first. Navirra watched her kick off a pair of sandals at the door and then remove her hat to reveal a full head of muddy, black dreadlocks with streaks of blue dye. She appeared much younger than she probably was.

"You heard my stomach?" Navirra said embarrassed.

"The neighbor's probably heard that," Opalora said. "Go sit in the living room. I'll bring you something to eat. You must be famished." She walked past Navirra into an adjoining room.

Navirra walked into the living room. It was quite a large room for such a small house. It was furnished with all kinds of antique furniture pieces. There was a wooden table in front of the sofa, where Navirra plopped her sore feet when she sat down. She picked up a book that was lying on the table and began to flip through the pages, not really reading, just admiring the pictures as she waited for her hostess to return.

Opalora returned after 5 minutes with a plate and a glass of juice. She handed the plate to Navirra and then sat down on the couch next to her. Navirra eagerly took the plate and began drooling over all of the goodies it contained. First she grabbed a hot roll and popped it in her mouth. This was followed shortly by a handful of grapes and about 6 slices of cheese. Before she could follow that up with more grapes, Opalora reached out and grabbed her hand.

"Slow down," she said laughing. "I know you're hungry, but you don't want to get a stomach ache."

"Sorry," said Navirra as she picked up another buttery roll. "It's just been so long and this food is so good. This bread is amazing by the way."

"Thank you," said the elf. "It's homemade. So how do you know Ashelar? Are you his girlfriend or something?"

Navirra blushed. "No, not at all. I actually just really met him yesterday. He kind of saved my life. After that he brought me here and told me to find you. He said that you would be on this street and then disappeared to go meet with the Druids. He sure left in a hurry. I didn't even get to say goodbye or thank him."

Opalora wanted to tell Navirra that it was unnecessary to thank her son, but before she could speak Ashe entered the room from a small hallway to her left. It was as if they had summoned him by talking about him.

"Good to see you again Navirra," Ashe said in his calm yet confident voice.

"Good to see you too," Navirra said, a little startled to see him. "I thought you went to see the Druids."

"I already explained the situation to them," he said. "They are ready to help in any way they can. I apologize for leaving you so abruptly."

"No worries," Navirra said patting him on the hand. "I literally ran into your mother, so all is good now. All except my knee and her cat."

They all started laughing.

"So, what did you have to tell the Druids," Opalora asked. "It must've been pretty important for you to lose your manners and leave this poor girl on her own in the big city."

"It is important. I can explain it all to you," said Ashe. He then turned to Navirra. "Hey, while I'm talking with my mother why don't you go and take a hot bath. There are towels and soap in the bathroom down the hall. Take your time. Enjoy the hot water. When you finish, there should be some clothes that fit you in the room across the hall. You and my mother look about the same size."

"Thank you Ashe," Navirra said.

"Not a problem. Just get cleaned up and then come back here. I will take a look at your knee and any other scratches you may have gotten along the way. Then we'll all talk."

Navirra waved. "I guess that's my cue to get going."

Opalora motioned towards the bathroom and Navirra got up, grabbing another hot roll for the road. She walked down the hallway and into the bathroom. It was small, but it had all the essential equipment for pampering and even seemed cozy after she closed the door. She looked around for a towel and found one hanging right next to the tub where a towel should be. She washed her hands in the basin, ran her wet fingers through her wind-blown hair and then splashed some water on her face. Then Navirra wiped her eyes dry with the towel and peered into the mirror.

She stepped back from the sink and looked at her whole body in the glass. Her clothes were filthy. They were covered in streaks of mud, grass, and who knows what else. They also reeked of wild animal. She could thank Ashe for that. She pulled the shirt over her head and tossed it on the floor next to the toilet. Seeing the throne made her realize that she hadn't peed in almost half a day. Her bladder felt like it was going to burst. She quickly pulled off her pants and underwear, tossing them both onto her shirt, and rushed to sit down on the toilet. While she sat there doing her business she leaned forward and straightened her clothes into a nice little pile. She thought about removing the Naaru necklace, but decided against it. It seemed to be bringing her luck now, so she would keep it close.

When she finished relieving her aching bladder she got up and stepped into the tub. The water was slightly cold at first, but she got used to it pretty quickly. She sank under it letting it flow over her body. She took her time, washing and rinsing her hair twice, lathering her entire body, and just enjoying the feel of the water. It felt amazing to finally be clean again.

After about 25 minutes in the bath she stood up and let herself drip dry a little before stepping out to grab her towel. She quickly dried herself off and then wrapped the towel around her wet hair making it into something that resembled a turban. She picked up her clothes and held them to her chest making sure to cover her breasts. She opened the door a crack and peeked out into the hall. She saw that the coast was clear so she placed her free hand over her crotch and pushed the door fully open with her elbow. She sprinted across the hall into the adjacent room and speedily closed the door behind her.

Inside the room she laid her clothes on the bed and then unrolled her hair from the towel, rubbing it a little drier with both hands. She threw the towel next to her stuff and walked over to the bureau to pick out some clothes. Inside the top drawer she found a sky blue top and a pair of leggings that was almost the same color. The shirt was a little big for her, but she put both of them on and then moved down to the next drawer. It was full of undergarments and belts. She skipped it and moved on to the bottom drawer. In there she found some black boots that fit her almost perfectly. All of the clothes were pretty basic for her taste, but Navirra didn't mind. She was just glad they fit. She moved over to the closet to search for something to wear over her shirt in case it got cold.

While she was rummaging through the jackets she heard a knock on the door. She grabbed a leather vest and put it on, buttoning it up around the necklace as she walked to the door. It was Opalora with a pair of gloves in her hand. She admired Navirra's choices in fashion, giggling a little, and then handed the gloves to her. She started walking away and told Navirra that she'd be waiting in the living room for her when she finished up.

"Okay thanks," Navirra called after her. "I'll be out in a few minutes."

Navirra slipped the gloves on her hands, grabbed her towel off the bed, and walked back across the hall into the bathroom. She looked around for some hair accessories and found them in a cupboard by the tub. She grabbed a clip and used it to create something manageable and presentable out of her hair. She looked in the mirror, did a few more swipes through her hair, and then walked out to join the others.

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

Khaiss and his three traveling companions were on their way to the Azuremyst docks to catch a boat to the mainland. They had armored up and gotten their respective weapons. Now they were ready to go find Navirra. They heard the scream when they were still a ways off. At first they weren't even sure if it was real or just the wind playing tricks on their ears. But then they heard a second scream.

"I wonder what's going on," Kriin said, putting a hand to her ear.

"Was that a Timberstrider?" Jemiini added. "I've never heard one that loud before."

"Probably nothing," said Khaiss. "We'll just go the other way just in case it was a strider. Those things are dangerous."

"Seriously?" Kriin asked, moving up the path in the direction of the noises. "What if it wasn't a bird? We should go see if someone needs our help."

Khaiss reached for her arm and just as he was about to grab her and pull her back he heard more screams. They were clearly not from a Timberstrider. There were voices too and shouting. They all started running forward.

When they rounded the corner they saw the Peacekeeper jumping down from his elekk and rushing at Zalinne. They watched as the elf brought him down with a dagger to the skull.

"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Kriin said, breaking the silence.

"I do see it," said Khaiss.

"Did she really just kill those Peacekeepers?" said Maleeah.

Khaiss didn't speak. He simply unsheathed his greatswords and pulled them out, one in each hand.

"Are you crazy?" Jemiini said to him. Her voice was shaking. "Didn't you see what just happened out there? You're gonna get yourself killed."

Khaiss looked her directly in the eyes. "If I don't go, we will all die. Trust me. I know what I'm doing."

He started to leave and Jemiini grabbed him with both hands. She tried to pull him back, but stopped when she saw the orcs climbing out of the wagon. Kriin and Maleeah noticed them too. There was intense fear in their eyes. Kriin let out a shriek.

The noise drew the attention of the orcs and elves. Zalinne pointed and yelled. "Get them!"

Kriin grabbed Maleeah and pulled her behind some trees. Jemiini drew her two-handed mace and followed Khaiss into battle. They both rushed forward holding their weapons steady.

Zalinne spun around keeping her eyes on the approaching danger. She pulled out a couple more daggers from little pockets on the side of her boots. The orcs were also gathering their weapons from inside the wagon. They were all prepared to fight to the death and it would've been a quick and bloody battle had it not been interrupted.

Both sides were charging towards each other when a trident flew through the air and stuck in the earth between them. The battlers skidded to a stop and turned in the direction where the spear had been thrown from. Their eyes grew wide together.

Standing in the middle of the tall grass was a surreal creature, the likes of which none of them had ever seen. It stood upright like a human, but also hunched forward like it suffered from chronic back problems. Its long, muscular arms hung low, almost touching the ground and at the fingertips were vicious looking claw-like fingernails. It had a grotesquely large head covered in fish scales and an extended muzzle full of razor-sharp teeth. It appeared to be watching them with its angular snake eyes.

Marge had exited the wagon and was crouching behind the far side, putting the vehicle between herself and the strange figure in the road. "What is that thing?" she called out to Zalinne. "It looks like some kind of diseased reptile."

Thugo used his hand to tell Marge to be quiet and then put his fingers tightly back onto the handle of his axe.

The beast raised its head towards the sky and let out an awful noise. It sounded like a threatened dinosaur, loud and piercing. The fleshy strands of skin that hung over its mouth jiggled outward as it shrieked into the air like tentacles. Then it stopped, gave a grunting noise, and turned towards the beach.

When Zalinne saw it leaving she raised her daggers in its direction and let them fly. Blades whizzed through the dusty afternoon air filling it with the sound of bumblebees. The creature darted towards the sea, leading the Horde's attention away from the Draenei. The daggers fell short, bouncing off the ground behind the serpent and ricocheted in all directions. The creature was lucky that it hadn't been hit.

Kriin and Maleeah had been peeking out, but stopped watching when the thing had started slithering away. Kriin ducked down below a rock to stay hidden from the monster. She was already tucked in the fetal position with her hands covering her head when the orcs continued their charge. She was afraid to do anything else. Her head was full of unanswered questions and fear.

Zalinne watched her target and tried to follow it, but it was fast and disappeared into the water before she could recover her daggers. "Damn you!" she yelled. "Why can't you just make this easy for me?" She ceased her pursuit and returned to join the orcs.

"We are outnumbered seven to four," Kriin called out from her hiding spot.

"Stay down!" Khaiss shouted. "We'll handle this." He jumped to the side and rolled onto his knees to avoid a flying hatchet. He swiftly got to his feet and bolted in the direction of the wagon with Jemiini at his heels. He dove, rolled again, and came up, crouched behind the back side of the wagon opposite of the orc Large Marge. His forehead was covered in sweat and dust. He wiped a sticky strand of hair from his eyes and tucked it behind his dirty ear. Think. Think. He pounded his fist on his head.

"Come out and fight us," One of the orcs said in a half yell. "Don't be a coward." He pulled out a hunting rifle and started shooting at the wagon and continued to fire the gun, changing ammo when needed until all of his pouches were empty. When the last bullet flew he dropped the gun at his feet and looked at the bullet riddled vehicle with satisfaction.

When Khaiss heard the weapon land on the pavement he knew it was safe to take a peek at what was going on. He rose up slightly and peered around the remains of the wagon. He could see that Kirandor was now advancing on his position with a large knife in his hands.

Zalinne waited, watching Jemiini. She didn't want any surprises from the tough looking Draenei female. She cautiously moved in a zigzag pattern doing some kind of flanking maneuver. She was trying to sweep in to ambush Jemiini.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are," Kirandor said. "You can hide, but you can't run. I will catch you, silly boy."

The sound of his calm voice gave a cold chill to Khaiss' spine. It was a creepy, ghostly sound. Khaiss ducked back down and looked towards the large orc that was hiding on the other side of the cart. He could see Marge huddled down with her fingers laced together over a bloody wound in her abdomen. She must've taken a bullet in the previous onslaught.

Zalinne moved slowly and reached the edge of the road. She launched herself up on a rock, scaling it with ease. Standing on the summit, she cast a shadow over Jemiini who had her back turned facing the orcs.

Jemiini looked up when she saw the sun diminish and moved quickly out of the way as Zalinne jumped. She was not fast enough. The elf pounced upon Jemiini like a vulture on a fresh carcass, knocking her to the road. The impact caused Jemiini to lose her grip and drop her mace. The weapon flew from her hand and slid a few feet away.

Jemiini struggled to stand back up at first, but managed to do so before Zalinne. However, Zalinne was quick. She rushed at Jemiini from a kneeling position and crashed into her, knocking her back down a second time. Zalinne beat down on the Draenei with her tiny fists and then stood back to give a few kicks to her ribs and legs. Jemiini quit fighting back and simply curled her limbs in to protect her torso. The brutality continued for a few seconds, each new punch or kick leaving a red spot that would probably turn into an ugly bruise eventually.

Khaiss rose to go assist Jemiini but his path was blocked by the male elf and an orc with an axe. Blades clashed and sparks flew. Khaiss was holding his ground, but could not break away to help his girl.

Zalinne assumed that Jemiini was about to pass out and give up completely, when suddenly the Draenei screamed. The noise was unexpected and startled Zalinne, causing her to lose focus for a split second. That was all the time Jemiini needed. She charged back at Zalinne and hit her hard in the gut with her plated elbow.

Zalinne lost her breath for a second, but once she regained it she shrieked in surprise and pain. "That's it," she yelled. "You're dead." Zalinne put up her arms and waved over Thugo.

The orc was going to join the fight against Khaiss, but redirected himself towards Jemiini. Zalinne withdrew to gather up her daggers. Thugo arrived and moved in a circle around Jemiini, ready to strike if he saw a weakness in her stance.

He swung first. It was a low jab, intended for Jemiini's left kidney. She darted to the side and whipped around behind her opponent. She grabbed a hold of his hair braid and yanked the orc backwards into the ground. Thugo hit it hard enough to knock the breath out of his lungs. He wasn't able to recover before Jemiini caved his chest in with her hammer.

Zalinne took this moment to make a retreat. She darted back into the shadows of the trees. The other orcs, however, didn't care about being cautious. They continued their assault on Khaiss who was still putting up a good fight against three of them and Kirandor. He was getting tired though. His feet shuffled around in the dirt as he deflected each axe or blade that was swung at him.

Maleeah peeked out from her hiding spot and saw Khaiss in the midst of the orc onslaught. She was still young and fairly inexperienced with her abilities, but she knew she needed to intervene or Khaiss would die. She stood tall and sauntered out onto the grassy shoulder of the road. Her beady, blue eyes darted around to find her first victim. She wanted to find the orc that posed the greatest threat to their lives at the moment, but they all seemed strong. She would have to hit them all at once.

She stepped into the road and yelled to Khaiss. "Close your eyes!"

Khaiss heard and obeyed. As soon as he shut his eyes Maleeah raised her hands above her head and then brought them down swiftly as if cutting the air with a knife. A beam of energy shot down from the sky, striking the ground near Khaiss in a flash of light and blinded all of his assaulters. The orcs stumbled around swinging their weapons wildly. Khaiss opened his eyes and dodged the flailing strikes with ease.

Maleeah was no longer herself. Where she had been standing was now a large, featured owlbeast adorned in Night Elf jewelry. She saw the disoriented orcs and waved her wing towards them. Massive roots sprung up from the ground, entangling the feet of her enemies and binding them in place. Now they were sightless and immobile.

Khaiss took advantage of the situation and swung his mighty sword at the closest orc. Its head flew clean from its shoulders and tumbled into the grass. Khaiss waved the blade back the other way and lopped off another head, its ugly sneer fading as it rolled away. He raised the greatsword high over his own head and brought it down on the third bound orc, splitting the greenskin in half from crown to pelvis. Khaiss was now covered in ichor and the foul stench of tainted blood. This did not faze him. He walked calmly over to Kirandor who was struggling to break free from the plant tendrils that held his feet together. He grinned, basking in the ease of this battle now that Maleeah had intervened. "Death to all who oppose us," he said, swinging his blade back to wind up for another killing blow. He was just about to bring the blade forward when he heard an agonizing cry of pain from behind him. He whirled around and couldn't believe his eyes.

Zalinne had stepped out of the shadows and leapt onto Maleeah's back. Maleeah was taken by surprise, but still tried to shake the elf from her back, but Zalinne clung to the feathers tightly. She then wrapped both legs around Maleeah's torso so her hands could let go and be accessible. That was when she plunged both daggers into the Moonkin's flesh nearly in the armpit area where the chest meets the shoulders. Maleeah screamed out as Zalinne planted her feet into the Moonkin's back and launched herself backwards, yanking the blades as she flipped off. The daggers ripped through the skin as the elf launched herself away, severing both of Maleeah's father-covered arms.

Blood sprayed out of the stumps like crimson waterfalls and Maleeah dropped to her knees, changing back into her elven form. She lingered for a moment, despair and pain on her young face, and then lurched forward into the dirt.

Khaiss was full of fury now. All he wanted to do was slay as many orcs and pale elves as possible. The rage inside him overflowed and he turned to finish the job on Kirandor. He whirled around, but the elf was gone. The vines had disappeared when their master fell in battle and Kirandor was able to make a run for it. Khaiss saw him in the distance, scurrying along the beach. He thought about pursuing, but knew that he would never catch the elf in all of his heavy plate armor. He turned back towards Zalinne, but she too was already making her retreat in the opposite direction. He decided to collect his losses and go see if he could help his friends.

Maleeah was still on the ground, gasping to get air through a mouthful of blood and phlegm. Khaiss ran to her side and knelt down, lifting her head in his large gauntlets. Jemiini also rushed over, standing a few steps away to give Khaiss room. She looked over his shoulder and could see that Maleeah was in rough shape. Death was nearly upon her and Jemiini felt helpless, knowing there was nothing she could do to ease the awful pain Maleeah was suffering.

"What do we do?" she pleaded to Khaiss.

"There is only one thing we can do at this point," he replied. "We should quicken her death so she won't have to suffer any longer."

"No, wait!" Kriin called out, running up to them. "I think I can help, if it's not too late already. I can't save her arms, but I can possibly save her life. Stand back."

Khaiss gently laid Maleeah back down and stepped away, allowing Kriin to kneel in his space. She rolled up her sleeves and placed her hands over each severed shoulder. "Elements hear me. Heal this girl. Allow your power to heal this girl."

Kriin's fingers began to glow a soothing blue color and then, as if conjured from a pool, gentle waters began flowing from the palms of her hands, washing over the wounds and cleansing them of all impurities. The healing waves continued to pour over Maleeah until the blood dried up and the tissue closed inward sealing into stumps.

Maleeah cough and sat up. She was still very exhausted from the entire ordeal, but the pain, both internally and outward, was gone.

"Light be with you Kriin," said Khaiss, pulling the young Draenei in for a solid embrace. "You saved her."

Tears streamed down Kriin's face and she smiled. "Light be with us all," she added.

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

Opalora and Ashe were in the living room sitting on the couch when Navirra walked in and sat down next to them. "Thanks so much for everything," Navirra said. "You don't know how good it feels to be clean again. By the way, I used one of your clips for my hair. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," replied Opalora. "What's mine is yours. You might be here a while, so get used to using my stuff. I'm just glad the clothes fit."

"How long is a while, because I really want to just go home?"

"I understand that, but right now you have to lay low until we figure out what's going on," Ashe said.

"So, my son was telling me that you were abducted by orcs and they brought you to some elves. Do you know who the elves were?" asked Opalora.

"I don't know for certain, but I don't think they were related to your people. They were fairer skinned and had hair the color of the sun."

"Oh no," said Opalora. "Then you're very lucky to be here right now. No wonder Ashe rescued you. Those elves are bad news. They broke away from our people years ago because they became corrupted by dark magics. They still practice their magecraft and could be very dangerous, especially if they have allied themselves with the orcs. We definitely need to keep you here. They could still be out searching for you."

"That's what Ashe said too. They seemed to be interested in where my grandfather was. He is the Prophet Velen. They also wanted to know the whereabouts of my people and supposedly I was going to tell them where the exiles were. I have never understood why the orcs hated my people so much and now they have other races sharing in the hatred. It is all a little confusing to be honest."

"Your grandfather is Velen?"

"Yes, do you know him?" said Navirra. Then she realized the question was dumb. "Oh, nevermind. You're an Ambassador. Of course you know him."

"Our elven leaders, the Priestesses of the Moon, have been doing a lot of work with your Prophet over the last few months," said Opalora. "As part of our alliance our nations formed a team of scouts to provide investigations into the other younger races of this world. There are more than you would think. It was a way for us to build new treaties of trade and rapport with the friendly races and avoid war with the hostile ones. Our alliance with your people has also given us a chance to assist each other with our current struggles."

"What problems do the Night Elves have?" Navirra asked. "Are the orcs attacking you as well?"

Opalora raised an eyebrow. "Of course they are, but I wouldn't consider them our biggest threat. They are hostile, yes. And they did steal our sacred lands from us and the Tauren, but they are a problem that we are equipped to handle on our own."

"I don't understand. Is there something else out there that threatens your people that you can't battle without the aid of the Draenei?"

"There is a dark presence that we vanquished long ago. It has now returned to exact revenge upon our people." said Opalora.

"Mother what are you speaking of?" Ashe scooted closer.

Opalora paused for a second and then said, "Queen Azshara." The words came out with some difficulty as if she wasn't sure that she actually believed what she was saying.

"How can this be? She was killed when the well collapsed. What makes you think she is still alive?"

"Um, I don't mean to interrupt," said Navirra. "But I am not following this conversation. Who is Azshara and how can one person be such a huge threat?"

"This cannot be true," added Ashe. "I will not believe it. She died. We all saw her die."

Opalora was a little confused by her son's reaction. "Did we Ashelar? Look, I apologize for not explaining it better to both of you," said Opalora. "But the truth is, I don't know how to help ease your confusion if you're not even willing to listen and accept the possibility that what I tell you is actually true."

"You're right mother," Ashe said, backing down.

"So who is she?" asked Navirra again.

"Azhara was once a revered and beloved queen of the elven people. She and her Highborne guards became corrupted when they began using magic that was not meant for the primitive races of this world. It was power far beyond our comprehension or ability to control, yet they were tempted by its apparent beauty. Their lack of skill with this new magic caused an event which we refer to as the Sundering. It nearly destroyed the entire world and we thought that Azshara and her Highborne were killed. We were wrong."

"What makes you think that she has returned?" Ashe asked.

"Well I'm not certain if it is her, but the assaulters claim to be working for her."

"Assaulters? Who is being assaulted?"

Opalora stood up. "Let me introduce you both to someone I met recently. She should be able to explain the next part better than I." She walked over to the hall and called out to someone.

Navirra and Ashe watched as a small figure came walking into the room. Ashe recognized the girl as a goblin, but Navirra had never seen her race before. She was very short, had green skin that looked almost toxic it was so bright, and she had yellow hair styled into a Mohawk.

"I would like to introduce you both to Tiffee."Opalora then turned to the goblin. "Tiffe, this is my son Ashelar and his friend Navirra of the Draenei people that I was telling you about."

"Pleased to meet you," said the goblin as she did an awkward curtsy.

"You as well," said Ashe. "But I don't understand how she fits into this."

"Tiffee is from Ratchet in the Barrens," said Opalora. "Her entire town was destroyed a few days ago. Other cities and villages have also been attacked along the eastern coast. Tiffe was lucky to survive."

"Who is responsible?" asked Navirra.

"The assaults came from the sea. At first the inhabitants of those towns just noticed strange migrations of the fish and crustaceans. Then the tides themselves began to rise and fall in mysterious ways. That was when the first attacks came. Giants led the assault, smashing everything in sight with their massive clubs. They were followed by the main force, creatures we have never seen before. Humanoid beasts with serpentine features that slithered across the ground on scaly tails rather than legs. Some even had multiple arms, each cluthing a deadly weapon."

Ashe and Navirra both looked at each other with worry on their faces. "We have seen them. On Azuremyst Isle. We saw them."

"You did?" Tiffee finally spoke.

"Yes, Navirra was attacked in a cave by creatures that sound similar to what you just described." Ashe was up and pacing around the room as he spoke. "What are they? How are they related to Azshara and the Highborne?"

"Aren't the signs obvious? These serpents, or Naga as we are calling them, come from the sea; the same place that Azshara disappeared into. They have elvish facial features and they claim to be the lost Highborne. I'm surprised that you still have your doubts."

Now it was Ashe who looked frightened. "It can't be. If it is really them then this is a huge problem. They hate us for exiling them."

"This is some deep stuff," said Navirra. "You're going to have to simplify this conversation if I'm to understand it correctly. This is a little more than I can handle when I feel so exhausted."

Ashe backed away. "Wait, wait, wait just a minute. So, if I am going to accept that these Naga are actually the Kaldorei, then we need to start preparing our defenses immediately."

"We already have," answered Opalora. "The Draenei are teaching their young ones to fight as we speak. And we have also starting training more Druids."

"So that's what the Guilds are all about," said Navirra.

Ashe's smile faded. "I just need a minute to soak this up," he said, scratching his head and making the hair frizz up around his fingers.

"It's okay to pause and reflect on what I've told you both. It's a lot to digest." Opalora stood up and turned towards the kitchen. She stopped and looked back at the youth. "I'm gonna make some coffee. Would you like something?"

"No thanks," they all replied. "We'll be fine."

"Okay," said Opalora. "Why don't you all get to know each other better. I'm sure Tiffee would like to tell you about her experience with the Naga."

They watched as the elf woman left the room to start brewing some coffee. Navirra still wasn't quite sure what to think about all of these people yet. So much had happened in the last two days that she wasn't even sure it was all real. It still felt like a bad dream that she just needed to wake up from.

Opalora returned with her coffee and they all settled in to hear Tiffee's personal account of the attack on Ratchet. When the story was finished Opalora took one last, big gulp and finished the remaining coffee in her mug. "Whew, I'm thinking that you've probably had about enough talk for one night. Am I right? Just remember one thing. It doesn't matter what kind of life you were born into or what experiences are thrust upon you. The only thing that matters is what you do with what you are given. If we stick together through this I think we have a good chance of surviving."

"That's a great way to look at it," said Navirra.

"I try to be positive. Life is a long time to angry at the world for the cards we are dealt."

"Agreed," added Navirra. She began to stand up. "I don't think I can handle any more tonight. My brain has been overloaded."

"That's understandable. You should all turn in and get some rest. You've had a hell of a day. We can talk more in the morning if you're feeling up to it."

"Okay," said Navirra. "Thanks for everything."

Navirra and the other youth walked down the hall towards the bedrooms and Opalora got up and walked to the kitchen to refill her coffee mug.

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

The large orc female was still hunkered down behind the wagon. She had been wounded by a stray bullet from the gun of one of her own. It was not a mortal wound, but had grazed her torso pretty good, removing a chunk of flesh from her side, almost exposing ribs. She pulled some linen wraps out of the wagon as her comrades continued fighting the Draenei and was expertly patching herself up with the makeshift bandages. Orcs were all trained in advanced first aid, so this was no difficult task for Marge.

At one point she tried to enter the battle to assist her fellow orcs, but when she stood up she instantly felt light-headed and sat back down to let the ill feelings fade. She attempted this twice more, each time suffering from the same dizziness and nausea. By the time she was able to stand without sickness, the battle was over and the Draenei had left.

Marge pulled herself up on the battered wagon and stumbled around to the road, using the splintered wood as a support for her large frame. She was sickened by what she saw. Three beheaded orcs and another with its chest completely smashed inwards. She hobbled over to the circle of orc bodies, knelt down in the dirt, and began sobbing. Her wails were loud and pitiful, but she didn't care. She was truly hurting inside and it wasn't all from her bullet wound.

The sound of a snapping twig nearby startled the orc out of her mourning. Marge looked up and saw a serpentine figure slithering towards her in the grass on the far side of the road. She looked around for a weapon and scooped up the axe of one of her fallen friends. She managed to get back on her feet with some effort and lifted the axe at the ready.

The creature had stopped. It was just standing there in the road, not moving. Marge did her battle shout and sprinted at it, running with her weapon up, ready to bring it down in a slashing motion as soon as she reached the monstrosity.

The creature saw Marge charging at it and bent down. Just as Marge got within range, the beast sprang off of its tail and slammed into the orc sending both of them into a tumble. The axe was knocked loose and had bounced out of Marge's reach. The creature scurried towards the weapon, so Marge fumbled around on the ground, searching for another one. All she found was a rock. She snatched it up and hurled it in the creature's direction. It struck the hardened skin and bounced off of its shoulder. The creature stopped and turned.

Marge looked past it and saw more of them coming up the beach from the water line. "Come and get me, you simple-minded snake," Marge threatened, never showing fear even in the face of such unfavorable odds.

The creature was aware of its allies speeding up from the surf so it waited until there was a full line of Naga by its side. Marge scurried around, waving her hands as if, by appearing large and hostile, she would frighten them away. She was not so lucky. The first trident pierced her in the left shoulder, breaking the skin and sinking in deep. Marge stumbled backwards as a second trident struck her in the thigh causing her to fall. She let out a painful squeal that was quickly extinguished as the rest of the Naga descended upon her, crushing her windpipe with their powerful claws.

When the dust finally settled there was an eerie calmness in the air.

CHAPTER THIRTY

Navirra had gone to bed shortly after her conversation with the elves. Sleep didn't come for a long time. She sat there with her arms crossed over her stomach, staring at the ceiling. The bed was comfortable, but it wasn't hers. She felt so far from home, when in reality she was only a few leagues away. Her head was full of new information. She tried to process it all and let it sink in. Her mind raced with images of snakes and darkness. She tried to make sense of everything. Her whole life she had been taught to accept certain things, to believe that everything was the way society said it should be. Now her mind was awakened to something new, something fresh to absorb. She longed to have her brother here during such a crucial time in her life. He always knew exactly how to explain things in an easily understandable way. And he was right by her side any time she needed a hug and some encouraging words. She missed him so much, now more than ever.

Navirra drifted off to sleep around midnight, two hours after she put herself to bed. Opalora had told her to use the guest room. She had it all made up before Navirra had arrived as if she had been expecting someone to come. The Night Elf's hospitality was selfless and her kindness was appreciated. Navirra felt safe again, but still lonely. She was trying to build trust in her new friends.

After the young ones had gone to their rooms, Opalora stayed on the couch for a while, sipping a second cup of coffee and staring at the wall. Although there were books to read, Opalora was more caught up in her own thoughts. She had already spoken with the Prophet Velen and explained everything to him before Navirra showed up. She had gained favor with him and the other Draenei elders. They had already agreed to help, so why did she still feel so helpless? She was now thinking about the conversation that she and Navirra had just had. Telling the history of her people to the girl had made her remember things that she had tried to forget. It stirred up many strong emotions, some good and some bad.

Reality also hit her pretty hard and she came to a new sense of urgency. She needed to protect her people. Opalora believed that something terrible was happening and she felt like she was right at the epicenter of it all. The Sentinels and Druids had been watching and observing the actions of the orcs and unlike them, she hadn't gotten lethargic and careless. She was on top of things as far as the Horde was concerned. She was always vigilant. Her people had been monitoring all of them ever since the Blackwall compound was created in Mulgore. She despised them and would give anything to put an end to their evil ways, but she knew that they were a small problem compared to the return of the forgotten Queen. Protecting her people would be her highest priority even though she knew that the Draenei, her allies, were facing a catastrophe almost as grand to them. What she didn't know, however, was what she was supposed to do now.

Opalora finished her coffee and set her mug on the little table. She wanted to get some sleep, but she knew that she wouldn't be able to. She felt uneasy about the events that had transpired in the Crossroads warehouse and she wanted to be on her guard. They could still be tracking Navirra.

She stood up and brushed some crumbs off of her pants. Then she blew out the candles and walked down the hallway in the dark. She opened the guest room door slightly and peeked in. Navirra was asleep in the bed. Opalora could tell because the Draenei's breathing was calm and steady. She ducked back into the hall and continued to her own bedroom.

She entered the room and slumped onto the bed. The soft, feathers felt nice, but Opalora couldn't get comfortable. Her mind and heart were both still racing. She sprawled out on the bed for a few moments and then gave up. She thought that a bath might ease her mind, so she got up and went to the bathroom. The torch in there was out so she lit it and place a tinted glass shroud over it to conceal most of the light. She looked in the mirror for a brief moment. It reflected a view of the bathroom back at her. She could see herself staring, with a tub and a window behind her. She moved closer to her reflection, brushing some hanging locks away from her face. Upon closer inspection she decided that she needed to pluck some of her eyebrows. She was a girl after all, even if she was an adult. She opened the drawer next to the toilet and grabbed a little purple case. Inside was a pair of metal tweezers that she fished out and started using on her eyebrows.

She was standing at the sink with her left eye shut, plucking hairs from the brow above it when something moved quickly across the window behind her. She dropped the tweezers out of reflex and spun around to face the window. It was dark outside, the curtains were partially closed, and she had only had one eye opened. Did I really see something?

She moved closer to the window pulling the curtains aside. She looked out. Outside was a wraparound porch that dropped to the side yard from a little staircase. The moonlight illuminated most of the yard and a porch torch down at the corner of the house helped brighten the rest of the view. Opalora saw nothing out of the ordinary. It must have just been my imagination.

She stepped back and turned to the mirror again. She reached into the wash basin to retrieve the tweezers and from the corner of her eye she caught movement again. This time it made her shriek a little. The sound was brief, but high. She whirled around with her butt against the sink and stared at the window. Again there was nothing to see. She slowly crept towards the doorway, never taking her eyes off of the window. She inched along until she reached the frame of the door. Here she stopped, still staring wide-eyed at the empty window. She darted her eyes quickly to the bed, where her son lay sleeping, and then back to the window.

Then she saw something again, something fast. It moved swiftly from one side of the window to the other. Opalora didn't wait to find out what it was. She sprang to the bed, shaking Ashe out of his slumber. He sat up, drowsy and half asleep still.

There was a crash outside on the porch followed by what sounded like something rolling across the wooden boards. Opalora jumped and Ashe finally awoke completely. He sprang to his feet and ran towards the hallway. "Navirra!" he yelled, running panicky down to the hall. "Tiffee!" His foot caught on a pile of clothes and he went sprawling to the floor. He propped himself up on his arms and yelled again. "Girls, wake up!"

Navirra poked her head out of the room down the hall a few moments later. She looked tired and groggy. Her hair was all frazzled and static filled. "What? What?" she said sleepily. "Why did you wake me up? I had just fallen asleep."

Tiffee meandered out of the hall closet where she had been sleeping and yawned.

"Girls, there's someone outside the house. Did you hear anything from your rooms?" Ashe was still on the floor. There were beads of perspiration standing out on his forehead and his eyes were wide and alert.

"What? No, I didn't hear anything," Navirra answered. "Are you sure you heard something?"

Opalora poked her head around her son and lifted a finger to her lips, signaling all of them to stop talking. A floorboard creaked on the porch. Then there was the sound of soft footsteps like someone was walking carefully around the house. Navirra turned towards the sound and then looked back at the Ashe, who was now rising to his feet. All of them stared at each other for a few seconds. Navirra was about to say something, but Opalora raised a finger to her lips to silence her again. She turned back towards her own room and motioned for them to follow. They did.

They entered the master bedroom and Opalora pointed at the floor under the bed. "Go under there," she whispered. "I will check things out. If something happens to me, stay under there."

Navirra, Ashe, and Tiffee bent down and slid themselves under the bed, pushing up against the far wall. Opalora watched to make sure she couldn't see them and when she was satisfied she headed for her bathroom to peek out the window again. She extinguished the lamp on the way into the room and then crept to the window in darkness. She peered out and at first she saw nothing. Her eyes darted back and forth across the porch and lawn. There was nothing out of the ordinary, but then she saw something. Across the lawn was the street that separated the few neighboring houses. On the far side of this street, tethered to a fence, was an elekk. At first it hadn't bothered her. It appeared to be just an ordinary mount, but then she realized that she was in Darnassus, not the Exodar and she knew that elves didn't ride elekk.

She ducked down under the windowsill and scooted towards the door on her butt to speak with Navirra. When she reached the doorway she bent down to floor level and looked towards the shadow under the bed. "Navirra, I saw something suspicious outside," she whispered. There was no reply. "Navirra? Navirra, are you there?" There was still no answer. Opalora whispered a little louder. "I said, I saw something weird outside. It was an elekk."

Something moved down the hall. Opalora turned her head towards the bedroom door and saw the youths creeping slowly towards the living room. She got to her feet and moved swiftly to the door. "Navirra, what are you doing?" she asked in a semi-loud whisper.

Navirra turned at her voice. "We heard something out here. We're going to investigate."

"Wait for me," Opalora said catching up to them in the hall. They walked side by side to the end and looked cautiously around the corner.

It was dark, but there was a large figure standing in the middle of the room, facing the other direction. Navirra's breath caught in her throat. The strange person heard the sound and whirled around to face them. Navirra and Tiffee ran. They bolted down the hallway to the bedroom with Ashe and his mother at their heels. They got inside and slammed the door shut. The figure also ran, reaching the door just a few seconds after they did. With their backs pinned against the door, they watched as the handle turned back and forth. It jiggled and shook behind them for a few seconds and then it stopped. They kept watching for it to start moving again. It didn't.

Then there was a soft knock followed by a deep man's voice. "Opalora?" the voice asked. "Ambassador Opalora Rainstrider are you in there?"

Opalora was sweating a lot now. Her blue hair hung in greasy strands in front of her eyes. Navirra and Tiffee were also sweating and breathing hard. They looked at the Night Elf woman and motioned for her to say something.

Opalora shrugged her shoulders and mouthed the words, 'what should I do?'

Navirra waved her hand towards the door and whispered, "Say something."

Opalora scowled. "You say something. He is obviously a Draenei."

Navirra turned towards the door and tried to calm her nerves before speaking. "Who's there?" she asked, her voice cracking a little.

"I am an Ambassador. My name is Taam," the voice answered through the door. "I am looking for Opalora Rainstrider."

Opalora recognized the name and thought that it all sounded legit, but was uneasy about believing the mysterious voice. "What do you want? Why are you in my house in the middle of the night?"

The voice came again. "Who am I speaking to? Is this the Ambassador? Are you okay? I bring grave news. It's about your daughter Maleeah."

This time Navirra spoke. "Go away. Leave us alone. We don't know you."

Opalora waved a hand at her.

"I realize that this is not standard protocol to show up unannounced, but I need you both to trust me," the man said. "I know that it sounds weird coming from someone who you just caught standing in your house at midnight, but your daughter was hurt. She needs you."

"How?" asked Opalora. "By Whom? Where is Maleeah now?"

"She is trying to recover at the Exodar. She is in good hands, but our healers can only do so much and she is asking for her family. Please come back with me."

Opalora looked to Ashe. He shrugged his shoulders, unsure about whether to trust the voice or not. He shook his head and then turned his mouth to the door. "If what you say is true, then we will go, but not with you. Please leave our home. You have frightened my mother. If you don't leave at once then I will alert the Sentinels."

"There's no need for that. I will go," said the man. "As long as you make haste. I will inform your daughter that you are coming."

"Since when do Ambassadors break into people's homes anyway?" asked Tiffee rudely.

"I didn't break in," said the man. "The door was unlocked."

"And that gives you the right to just barge into people's houses? Even Sentinels wouldn't do that without a warrant or probable cause." Tiffee was starting to sound angry.

"Again, I know that this seems against protocol and it is, but I wanted to ensure your safety and inform you about Maleeah. That is my top priority. Besides, if I was here to hurt or rob you then I wouldn't have knocked first."

"You knocked?" asked Opalora a little puzzled. She hadn't heard anything.

"Of course I did," he said. "I'm not a savage. I do have manners. Look, I apologize for having frightened you. It wasn't my intention. I am going to leave now. I will get in touch with your daughter and give her the news." He turned to leave, but then he heard a clicking sound. The door between him and the others was slowly opened. He stood back and let it swing out in front of him.

The two girls were standing in the back, Opalora and Ashe in front, shielding them behind. Navirra was stooped down, but she peeked around the side of Ashe's arm. She saw the Draenei man, standing a few paces back. He was tall and rugged, but very surprisingly handsome. He appeared to be young for an Ambassador and his attire did not match what Navirra thought an Ambassador would wear. He was draped in a cloth robe that hung down at his sides over a pair of leather slippers. He was also wearing gloves and a black headband. He had his hands out at his sides with his fingers spread, showing them that he was unarmed.

Navirra attempted to move out from behind Opalora a little to get a better look at him, but Ashe kept her in back. Navirra knew he was trying to be protective, but at the same time she was awestruck at how beautiful this strange man was and wanted to see him closer. She couldn't take her eyes away from his chiseled, stubble covered face. He was like a god. After a nearly impossible internal struggle Navirra finally looked away, but as she was taking her eyes from his angular jaw she noticed his smoky, blue eyes. She was trapped again. Her fear turned to admiration. He was the most handsome Draenei she had ever seen.

Taam caught her staring and she shied away, blushing behind Opalora who had stepped out into the doorway. He shot them all a quick smile and then looked up at Opalora. "See. It is me as I said. I'm sorry if I startled you. I have a way of just appearing when people least expect it."

Opalora was relieved to recognize him from the short work they had performed together when they interrogated Tiffee. "Well, you didn't have to go creeping around my back porch at night, friend or otherwise," Opalora said with a laugh. "You had us extremely paranoid."

"I wasn't sneaking around your back porch. I came in from the front of the house," Taam said with a puzzled look on his hardy face. He placed a strong hand on his tentacle chin and rubbed it.

Opalora turned to look at Ashe who was now leaning against the door frame. She pointed back and forth, mumbling to herself and trying to put her thoughts together. She turned back to Taam. "Wait a minute. If it wasn't you, then who was walking around on my porch?" she asked.

"Good question," he said. "Stay right here while I go and check it out."

Just as the Draenei man was about to turn around to go outside, the sound of distant voices made him stop. He drew a wand from a hidden pocket inside his robe and raised it up defensively. The voices were getting closer. His eyes widened and he whispered, "Get down."

"What?" Tiffee asked puzzled.

"Get down!" Taam yelled. His warning was too late.

At that moment the front door exploded in a rising ball of fire. The shockwave blew out all the windows in the room and shook the little house in its frame. The door, or what was left of it, seemed to float on a cloud of black smoke for a few seconds, and then crashed outward onto the porch, taking out a planter and setting the porch ablaze.

Another fireball whirled through the open door and hit the gas stove. The resulting explosion dwarfed the first. Opalora was thrown through the cheap wall, leaving strips of hanging wallpaper in her wake. She soared into the adjacent room, smashing into the toilet with her shoulder, and then coming to a rest under the overturned bathtub and a pile of hanging house debris.

Navirra was knocked backwards through the opposite bedroom door and went sailing towards the bed. The bed itself had been flipped up in the blast, sending the mattress one way and the frame the other. Navirra's seemingly weightless body was heading directly towards the now splintered bedpost at the foot of the frame, upon which she would have been impaled had it not been for the Taam's quick reflexes. With a wave of his wand he cast a spell upon Navirra slowing her fall enough so that she could maneuver away from the post.

Over the course of the next few seconds time seemed to slow down for Ashe, almost like he was watching the events unfold in a dream rather than actually experiencing them. As soon as the explosion erupted outside he had leapt into the air towards the others. He reached out for them, but missed Navirra as the blast wave yanked her to his left through the wall. His fingers managed to grab hold of Tiffee's shirt as the shock lifted her into the air. He clenched his fist around the fabric, balling it in his hand. He was holding her tight, as the blast carried them both into the air. Once airborne, he tugged with all his strength, pulling her into his chest and wrapping her securely in his arms. They both flew towards the couch, but landed on the floor.

Ashe rose to his feet in seconds and shifted into a cat. He grabbed Tiffee's collar in his muzzle and charged out of the house through a smoldering hole in the wall, dragging the unconscious goblin. He sprinted about 30 meters away and skidded to a stop in the cool grass of the neighbor's yard. He scanned the area with Tiffee still clenched in his teeth, and laid her down softly in a patch of grass. He stood up immediately, shifted back, and brushed his clothes with both hands, extinguishing a few little patches of flame. He looked down at Tiffee, made sure she was breathing, and then bolted back towards the burning house to find Navirra and his mother.

The house was in ruins. The whole back side had been blasted away leaving only a skeleton of charred and burning wall supports. There was no sign of the porch and the back yard looked like a post-apocalyptic wasteland. What was left of the grass was now black and little plumes of smoke drifted up from where a flower garden had once bloomed. Ashe ran to the back door, kicking it in with ease. A gust of flames met him as the door fell inwards. He shielded his eyes from the heat with his sleeve. He then pulled his shirt up over his nose and mouth and produced a pair of thick leather gloves from his pants pockets, which he pulled over his hands.

Taam exited the front of the house carrying Navirra over his shoulder and rushed her over to where Tiffee was beginning to sit up. He saw Ashe attempting to enter the burning house and ran to his side. "Are you going back in?" he called out.

"My mother is still inside. I have to try," Ashe replied hastily.

"Then let me help," said the Draenei. He waved his wand at the elf boy and an icy shield formed around Ashe's body. After a few seconds cool air enveloped him and the heat from the house was nonexistent.

Ashe nodded in appreciation and sprinted through the door. He hurdled over the burning furniture in easy bounds, stopping only once to move around instead of over a flaming bed. He approached the bathroom in the hall, pausing as something behind him exploded. It was a glass lamp that finally burst from the swelling heat.

He turned back towards the bathroom and decided to break his way through the wall rather than try his luck on the door. Not only was the metal doorknob red hot, but the wall was closer and it was now only wood supports and shredded wallpaper. He kicked a few boards out of the way and then stopped to catch his breath. He could feel the heat starting to seep through the ice shield now. It wouldn't last much longer. The heavy air breathed down upon him like a suffocating dragon, sucking the oxygen from the room with each deep breath. He stopped hesitating and started frantically searching through the bathroom debris. He tossed the ceiling particles aside, uncovering the wash basin and toilet. He saw a woman's slipper sticking out from under the seat of the shattered toilet. It was badly charred to the point where the material on the bottom had melted away, leaving only a smooth surface where the tread had once been.

He staggered towards the slipper, lifting the toilet and tossing it aside. Thankfully the shoe was not attached to a foot. In fact, there was no body at all. He whirled around, scanning the room again. Then he heard a moan coming from another pile of wood beams. He ran to it, noticing the tub, buried underneath. He started to clear the debris, not thinking about burning his hands. The shield was completely gone now and the heat was sweltering. It was hard to breath, but Ashe continued to dig. He finally reached the tub and flipped it up towards the collapsing wall. It struck the weakened plaster and fell through into the kitchen with a thud. Under the tub was his mother. She was unconscious and not breathing, but alive. He hooked her arm around his neck and hoisted her over his thick shoulders. Then he ran again.

The grass near the house was gone, but the grass in the neighbor's yard was cool and moist. Ashe was full out sprinting when he came to a stop near the others. Navirra and Tiffee were both sitting up with their arms around their knees. Ashe tried to catch his breath, coughing hoarsely. Opalora was still resting on his shoulders and he lowered her to the soft ground next to Navirra and immediately started doing compressions on her chest.

After only one set of breaths and a few more thrusts, Opalora came to consciousness, hacking and gasping for air. Ashe removed his jacket, lifted her head and cradled her against his undershirt. She nuzzled into him, feeling his heart beating fast against her cheek and rubbed his chest with a weak hand. She looked up into her son's eyes, smiling, and whispered a soft thank you. He smiled back and squeezed her close.

A few brief minutes later the neighbor's house burst into flame and then another house across the street exploded. They had all been so caught up in getting to safety that they hadn't even thought about what had started the fires in the first place.

The last few wall supports of their own house fell in sending little embers into the night sky. Multiple dark figures emerged from the shadows behind a nearby tree. The figures watched as elves screamed within the houses as they burned down to small flames and cinders. Then they turned to the survivors.

"They are here!" Navirra called out. "The Naga are here!"

They all turned in unison and stared into the slitted eyes of the serpentine sorceresses that were hurling fireballs in all directions. Vengeance was upon them and they were trapped.

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE

The Naga General, once a Highborne handmaiden of her Queen, slithered out of the surf, the water dripping from her six arms. She had once been beautiful, one of the most attractive of her kind. She had had flawless alabaster skin, a delicately smooth jawline with high cheekbones, deep-set eyes that sparkled with radiance, and many other sultry characteristics. Some of those features still remained, but held a more sinister beauty now. Where her long, shapely legs had once been was now a single scaled tail, thick and powerful. It carried her onto the shore and continually swished back and forth on the sand even when she stood still as if it had a mind of its own.

Two Naga guards exited the sea and slinked up next to her. They were larger and their scales were more like a hardened armor plating than her intricate mesh of finer scales. They also appeared more animalistic than their commander. Their faces no longer looked elvish at all. Now they were twisted into something between a crocolisk and a dragon. They each only had one set of arms, but both were thick and muscled and gripped in their hands were tridents or spears. One of them spoke. "Have the sorceresses brought down the defenses yet?" he asked, a forked tongue darting in and out from between his jagged teeth as he spoke.

Lady Vashj looked at him and grinned, her black lips parting slightly to reveal her own mouth full of little razors. "There is no magic here. This city lies undefended, except for the occupants themselves, which should be easy to counter with our numbers," she hissed.

"Then shall I start the main assault?" the guard asked.

Vashj turned towards the sea. She could see her army approaching, their bodies floating just under the surface. There were thousands of them, covering the beach as far as the eye could see in all directions. "Send the giants first," she said, turning back towards the city. "If I know the traitors well, then they will have their protectors positioned around the gates. Do not be deceived. They will appear as trees, but will come to the defense of our former kin when we get close."

"Yes my lady," the guard said, crossing his trident over his chest in a sign of respect. "We will sack this city before the light of dawn."

"Be sure that you do Captain. Your Queen will be most pleased." She regarded him with a look of respect, the snakes in her hair dancing little circles around her head.

The guard moved along the sand towards the waiting giants. "First wave will be the giants," he commanded, moving between the ranks that were forming on the sand. "Then the sorceresses will burn down every structure in sight," he bellowed. "And once the elves are distracted by the fire, that is when we strike as a united force. Prepare yourselves my brothers and sisters. The time is at hand."

A gull swooped in from the sea, dipping slightly above the Naga. It floated on the wind near the Captain, scanning for a spot to land. Diving downward, the bird landed delicately on a wooden post that was partly submerged in the mud. It let out a single high pitched squawk and then lifted off again, flying back out to the sea.

"For the Queen!" the Naga yelled in unison.

The sound of the shouting resonated in the Sentinel's ears and she sat up from her post, opening her eyes and peering into the darkness. Her vision was slightly hazy from her unrestful sleep. She shook it off and blinked rapidly to clear the drowsiness. She then pulled both legs into her chest, wrapping her arms around them, so she could lean her chin on her knees. She was young, but not inexperienced when it came to fighting. However, she was not prepared to handle such a massive army by herself.

"Elune help us," a voice said from a few feet off. Another Sentinel had joined her at the gate.

"To arms!" the first yelled, alerting the ancient protectors. "Defend the city!"

It was a futile cry. The guardians put up a good fight, but ultimately fell to the crushing blows of the giants. The Sentinels also fought bravely and with skill, but the tidal goliaths were immovable. The Sentinel's frail bodies were flung through the air by one giant and batted away by the club of another. Any elf that managed to break through the first wave were met by Naga warriors, their numbers seemingly endless. They were vicious killers themselves, but became an even deadlier force when combined with the raining fireballs of the sorceresses behind them. They worked swiftly and brought down the elven defenders like they were nothing. After the initial assault the Naga sorceresses flooded into the streets with their blasts of pyro magics, bringing all of the once beautiful structures to nothing more than piles of ash.

Lady Vashj watched as the elves fell before her warriors. The revenge was sweet, almost bringing a smile to her scaled lips. It was an ecstasy that she had not felt in ages and she reveled in it, soaking up the overwhelming feeling to savor the moment before it was gone. Her Queen would be pleased with this, but Vashj wanted to bring something more than just pleasure back to the throne in the depths. She wanted a trophy.

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO

The elven priestess was meditating in the Temple of the Moon when she heard the trumpets sounding a warning. She broke from her trance and rushed to the window that looked out over the sleeping city. There was commotion in the streets, Sentinels leaving their posts and running towards the portal that led to Rut'theran Village. Amara could not see any imminent danger, but her guards would not leave unless something was amiss. She said a silent prayer to Elune and ran to the stairs that would lead her down to ground level.

There was a Sentinel standing in the doorway between the Priestess and the bridge to the city. "My Lady," the guard said, bowing in the traditional elven way. "It is not safe to go out. You must remain here in the Temple."

Amara tried to look past the Sentinel, but still could not see anything. "Thank you for your concern, but please step aside. I must ensure that my people are safe." She attempted to push herself through the door, but the guard moved into her path and raised her glaive.

"Priestess, please. Do not fight me. I must safeguard your life above all others. It is my duty."

Amara stepped back and composed herself. "What is the danger Sentinel? Report on the status of the city."

"There is fighting on the shore," said the Sentinel, turning in the direction of the portal. "The ancient guardians should be able to hold the line and protect the city. So far the enemy has not breached our walls."

"Very well, continue your service. I will retire to my chambers until it is safe to venture out." The Priestess spun on her heels and headed for the stairs again. She ascended them briskly, taking two and sometimes three at a time until she came to a room at the very top of the spire. She entered inside and shut the large, wooden door behind her, locking it with a crossbar. She immediately rushed over to the far wall, opposite the door and pulled a hanging tapestry aside. Behind the cloth, where the stone bricks and mortar of the tower wall should've been, was another door that had been hidden and unused for many years.

Amara knew of this secret passageway ever since she was little. She had been shown it by the Priestess Tyrande Whisperwind when she took over the eleven sage's position as head Priestess of Darnassus. It was created as a means of escape if the Temple were to ever come under attack, which it almost certainly would if Amara remained in it any longer. It would only be a matter of time before the Naga reached the portal and once inside the city, it was a clear shot straight to the Temple.

The Priestess pushed the hidden door inward and crouched so she could pass through the small opening. The narrow hallway beyond was very cramped, but still large enough for one elf to move swiftly through. After a few steps in the darkness of the tunnel, Amara emerged into a room. It was nothing more than four walls and a ceiling in a square shape, barely large enough to stand in without extending her arms. There was only one thing inside this space. A portal, its swirling energies emitting a slight humming sound. The Night Elves had given up on such magics when they saw how it corrupted their Highborne and nearly destroyed their world. This portal was the last remnant of a time when many elves were trained in magecraft.

Amara praised Elune that the former Priestesses of Darnassus had chosen to keep this portal intact. It would be the very thing that saved her life. She held her breath and stepped into the swirling air in front of her. The room inside the tower began to fade, colors shifting their hues and bending the light around her. She felt a slight twinge of nausea, but it only lasted for a fleeting second before her body was transported through the twisting nether and pulled towards her destination. She emerged on the other side and fell to her knees. The brief journey was difficult and taxing on people who were not used to using portals.

Amara was unsure of where the portal actually led. She had never used it or known anyone who had. All she knew was that it would take her out of Darnassus and far enough away to ensure her safety. When she regained her composure she stood up and looked around to get her bearings. She had traveled nearly every road in Kalimdor and she hoped that she would see something familiar that could reveal her location. What she saw was not what she expected. Instead of being in a land far away, she was still on Teldrassil. She could see the towering branches of the great tree hanging overhead. She recognized them instantly and her heart sank. Was this some kind of magical joke? Did the portal lose its potency over the years?

At least she had escaped the Temple. She climbed a nearby tree and made her way to the top branches. She moved them aside and gazed at the destruction before her. She watched as the towering spires of the once glorious Temple burned in the distance. She still could not see the foes that were sacking the city, but she knew that they were strong. All she could do know was hope and pray that the Sentinels could hold their defenses and protect her people. She yearned to be there amongst them, fighting by their sides, but she was not trained in such things. She was a healer, not a warrior. Amara hung her head and began to cry. She continued to mourn, the tears streaming down her pale, blue cheeks, until she heard voices. She tried to stifle her cries so as to not be discovered. She shifted out of focus, shadowmelding into her surroundings and watched silently as a group approached upon her position.

Navirra made a visor with her left hand again and looked towards the destroyed city. It was lost, taken in one night. Its defenses were not strong enough to counter the magic and numbers of the Naga. Plus, the reptilian enemies fought with a single-minded fury, driven by hatred and thoughts of revenge. The surprised elves were no match for such an army. Navirra sighed and looked away. She saw Opalora crouching in a shaded area under a honeysuckle bush near a small embankment. The elf's dreadlocks looked dry and unkempt. She was brushing some sand from her shoulders, which also looked very dirty.

"What's up?" Navirra asked, not actually expecting a response.

"Oh, hey," the elf said, looking at Navirra. "I want to mourn, but my head hurts too badly. I can't even begin to wrap my thoughts around what just happened."

"At least you are in the shade," Ashe said, standing up and walking towards his mother. "This morning sun is brutal. My face feels like it is on fire."

"The fires don't help the situation. It's so bright out here. Where are we anyway?" Navirra asked.

"Somewhere between Darnassus and Dolanaar," said Taam as he slid down the embankment to where the girls and Ashe were now sitting.

"Are we really?" Ashe added, looking in both directions.

"Don't you recognize the houses around here? I'm sure you've passed by them many times before." Taam pointed towards the elven architecture.

"Yeah, but I have a headache and all the towns around here look like that," said Ashe defensively.

"My apologies," Taam said. He held out a bag. Inside were two bananas and about a dozen little biscuits. "Here. You should all eat. Our journey will be intense and we will need the energy."

"Thanks," Navirra said, taking the sack and distributing the goods. "Where are we headed?" she asked as she took a generous bite of a biscuit.

"Well, after the events of the night, I think we should get as far away from the aftermath as we can manage without being discovered," said Taam.

"Which way do we go?" Opalora said, standing up and stumbling over Tiffee as she made her way up the sloping embankment. She reached the top and stopped, her jaw dropping open slightly. "By the Gods," she said in a distressed sounding voice. "Look at the city."

Navirra got up and climbed up the same part of the hill, using the foot holes left there by Opalora. When she got up she followed the elf's pointing finger and saw the wreckage. It was even more saddening from her view up here. "We can't go that way," she said. "And we better get away from here before someone notices us."

"Then that leaves us one option," Ashe said. "Teldrassil is surrounded on almost all sides by the roots of the great tree, but I know a place we can get through. We need to head for the Northern shore. If we're lucky, we can still find an intact fishing boat at one of the houses along the coast. I'm pretty sure that the Naga came from Rut'theran in the South, so we should be able to make a clean getaway."

"But where will we sail?" Tiffee asked. "There might be Naga in those waters. For now we should just lay low here in this village."

"We can't," Taam said from behind them. "The Naga will surely spread out from the city. That leaves us with only one viable option here. We have to teleport out. I should be able to make a portal large enough for all of us."

"That's a great idea. We can telport to my home on Azuremyst Isle," Navirra added, going back down the slope to place a comforting hand on the goblin's shoulder. "My grandfather is the Prophet. He will know what to do."

"I don't like the sound of that," Opalora said nervously.

"I second that," Ashe said.

"What seems to be the problem?" asked Taam.

"We can't. As good of an idea as it is, we just can't. Our people gave up on magic a long time ago," Opalora tried to explain.

"It is our only hope," said Taam. "And I will be the one to control it. You won't have to do anything, except step through once I form the portal."

The elf sighed a little. "Well, I guess I'll trust you. After all, you did just save our lives back there in the city."

"I'm no hero," said Taam, recalling how he and Ashe had pulled them from the burning house and carried them to safety. "Just an ordinary guy in the right place at the right time."

"Ashe is my hero," Tiffee said with a genuine smile.

"If only I had had enough time to save the neighbors also," Ashe said, tipping his head in mourning.

"You're not kidding," added Navirra.

"At least you all managed to escape unharmed. Your lives are just as important as any," said a mysterious voice from behind them.

The survivors all turned and saw the Priestess standing a few paces away. She was looking up towards the burning city. The sun glistened in the tears on her face. She wiped them away from her high cheeks with a delicate hand and then used the same hand to wave at them.

Opalora and Ashe recognized her instantly and they both dropped to one knee in respect. "Priestess Amara," they said in unison.

Amara turned to them and smiled, her white teeth standing out brightly in the shade of the tree. "Please rise," she said. "There is no time for formalities. We must be on our way. Young one," she said, motioning towards Taam. "We are in your debt. Please take us away from here."

"With pleasure," he said, raising his hands. "Follow me." He waved his fingers and a portal materialized in front of them.

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE

The Warchief descended the steps of his throneroom, two at a time, and stopped at the bottom, peering out over the courtyard towards the bank. He would need to make a withdrawal of gold at some point in the day, but that would have to wait for the moment. He had more pressing things to take care of first. He moved with urgency from the hold and slipped into the caverns under the city to the murky pit of sin the orcs nicknamed The Cleft of Shadow. He left his two guards at the entrance and descended deeper into the dark corridors.

There were flaming cauldrons scattered throughout the labyrinth, each casting their glow outward. They illuminated a portion of the tunnels for a few paces here and there making it somewhat passable, but other than that there was no other light and navigating the Cleft would be impossible were the flames to go out. This is how Blackhand preferred it. He wasn't much for audiences, even when he sat the throne and was forced to deal with his citizens. He especially didn't want to see anyone when he was dealing with his secret Shadow Council.

He wound himself deeper into the Cleft until he came upon a tent that had been covered by thick kodo hides. He opened the flap and entered into a small chamber where his most loyal subjects were waiting for him. Zalinne, Kirandor, Tagar, Orgrim, and a few other high-ranking orcs were sitting at a long wooden table that spanned nearly the entire tent. Zalinne pushed a full flagon of ale across the table to the Warchief as he sat down in a tall-back leather chair.

"What's on the agenda for today?" Zalinne asked, not waiting for the Warchief to get settled in his chair.

"Hold on a moment," Blackhand said, lifting the mug to his lips and gulping down some warm brew. "Ah, that tastes perfect. Sure is a great way to end this miserable day."

Kirandor turned to him. "What kind of a day was it?" he asked.

"Why does it matter? My Warchief business isn't important right now." Blackhand lifted his mug again. "Forget I said anything. Let's move on to more pressing matters."

"I agree Warchief," said Zalinne. She was glaring at her brother. "I can give you a full report on the situation or just a brief update, whichever you prefer."

"Just the facts," Blackhand bellowed. "I don't want to be here all night. Besides, I am sure you are all capable of handling this by yourselves. That's why I chose you for this council in the first place."

"We will do whatever we have to do to accomplishing your goals," Zalinne added as reassurance. "Your presence at this meeting is appreciated, but not necessary. If you have other things to do then please feel free to leave dear Warchief. We will handle everything."

Kirandor looked at his sister and scowled. He hated how she was always kissing up to the Warchief and acting like everything was under control when it wasn't. All she ever wanted to do was please Blackhand and Kirandor wasn't about to just play along when the situation was more dire than his sister made it seem. "With all due respect," Kirandor interjected. "I think we should discuss these matters with our Warchief. After all, he is the leader of the Horde and should be kept in the loop on matters as important as this fiasco with the Draenei."

That statement grabbed Blackhand's attention. He sat forward in his chair and put down his ale. "What is he talking about?" the orc thundered. "What fiasco? I thought you had everything under control."

Zalinne scowled at her brother. She had sacrificed much to get to the position she was in with the Warchief. She enjoyed running the Horde for Blackhand, even if the orc was too dumb to realize that she had all the power and he was just a face. Her brother could ruin everything if Blackhand started meddling where he wasn't needed and she couldn't let that happen. "There is no fiasco. Everything is going smoothly."

"Then what is he blabbering on about?" Blackhand was staring at Kirandor waiting for an explanation.

"It's nothing at all," said the female elf.

"Dammit Zalinne," Kirandor said a little heated. "Quit blowing me off. I really think that we should inform the Warchief. I feel horrible about this whole situation and it will help ease my troubled mind if we tell him what happened."

Blackhand was looking back and forth between the siblings, unsure of what was going on.

"Look, I understand that the orcs and the Draenei have a bloody and tense history. I agree that we, as a unified Horde, have sworn oaths to protect and help each other against our enemies. But it all seems very rushed. We don't know anything about this group of Draenei. They might not be hostile or even related to those whom your people knew back on Draenor. I will serve the Horde until my dying breath, but I will not die for an unjust cause, no matter how worthless the Draenei may be. I agree that our enemies should be put to death, but I never agreed to the murdering of innocents. We should wait and devise a better strategy when we have gained more information."

The Warchief slammed his mug down on the table almost breaking it. "Don't question my motives," he said through clenched teeth. "You have no idea how terrible the Draenei filth were to my people."

Kirandor sat back in his chair. "I'm sorry Warchief. I just want to be more careful, that's all."

"I understand your concern, but I know what I'm doing as leader of the Horde. Blackwall is more than they deserve. I should just kill them all, but I am being merciful because I respect the opinions of some of my greatest advisors, yourself and Orgrim included."

"Then how should we proceed?" Tagar asked, butting his way into the conversation.

"I will leave that up to you all to decide," said Blackhand. "I trust that your original plan is still proving successful. Just keep doing that."

"Actually, our first scouting mission did not go so well Warchief." Kirandor said, smiling evilly at his sister.

"Explain yourself," Blackhand spat, ale dripping down his knobby chin as he gulped down another mouthful.

Kirandor leaned forward in his chair. "Our hunters found a group of young Draenei and were able to capture one for questioning. However, in an unfortunate series of events, the captive escaped and is most likely returning to her people with news of our plans for their race."

"Then send another group to track her down before she gets back."

"It's not that easy Warchief. You see, the Draenei was assisted in her escape by an elf."

"And why does that concern me?" roared Blackhand.

"Well, not only will the leaders of the Draenei soon know of Blackwall, but they will be able to defend themselves even better if they have an alliance with the elves."

"Then quit flapping your gums and go get that escapee!" Blackhand tossed his mug at Kirandor, but missed when the elf ducked. The cup flew outside the tent and rolled into the darkness.

"How would you suggest we accomplish this?" Tagar asked.

"We are most likely too late already," said the Warchief. "So send a raiding party to do a full assault on their city. You did find the location of their city right?"

"Not fully," interrupted Zalinne, stepping in to save her peers some dignity. "But we have narrowed it down to an island and we can send more forces in at your command."

Blackhand got up from his chair and began to pace the room as he spoke. "We didn't come this far to fail. Whatever you need to make this raid work, I will give it to you."

"That's what we like to hear," said Tagar and the other orcs, except for Orgrim. "We're ready to get our hands dirty again."

"You will get plenty of dirt on those monstrous paws of yours," said Zalinne. "Nothing will get in our way as we rise to the top as the dominant races on this world. Our enemies will fall at our feet and we will build our empire upon their corpses. Even the Burning Legion will envy us."

"Aren't you a little worried dear sister?" asked Kirandor, interrupting her. "I mean, we just lost a couple of team members this week. I admit that some of that is my fault, but it doesn't change the fact that we are slowly failing against the Draenei. Not to mention all of the other races of the Alliance."

"Good point," added an orc. "We need overwhelming numbers. Maybe we should try and recruit some more. There is still time to turn more hearts to our side. There are still Troll and Tauren tribes that have not given their loyalty to the Horde."

"Recruiting requires way more time than we have," added Blackhand. "The Draenei are getting reckless, trying to side with the Night Elves. If they succeed then we will have the entire Alliance at our gates. We can't afford a full scale war. End this quickly and quietly."

"They can't hide on that island forever," said Zalinne. "Do not distress Warchief. We will handle the Draenei."

"Then let's get started," said Tagar, beating a large hand against his red chest.

"Agreed." Blackhand nodded. "Kirandor and Tagar, please take these orc captains up to the surface and begin forming your army. Orgrim, I want you to go and make sure that the worgs are ready to ride at first light. Zalinne and I will meet you all in the Valley of Honor shortly." He turned around and walked across the tent floor to the exit and ushered everyone out except the female elf. He watched and waited until they were out of sight before turning to Zalinne. "I need you to be strong for me," he said.

"I will be Blackhand." Zalinne said, rubbing a soft hand on his cheek.

"Finding the Draenei is the easy part. Capturing all of them will not be the same. I need to be sure that when the time comes, you will be willing and able to help bring them down. I don't want a repeat of what happened with the scouting parties. Do not fail me this time and do not let yourself get hurt by anyone, including your brother."

"You know that I will do my best," said Zalinne. "I'm behind you 100% in this. I will not fail."

"Good," said the Warchief. "Because I'm a little worried about Kirandor. You saw how he argued with me today and questioned my motives. He seems to be wavering. Orgrim has been showing similar signs as of late. I wish it weren't so, but we will have to keep an eye on them."

"I will be careful."

"Good. Go now. We don't want him getting suspicious." He leaned down and planted a wet kiss on her lips.

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR

Khaiss was sitting on the front steps of the medical wing of the Exodar with Jemiini and Kriin. He was leaning up against a large barrel that was open at the top and covered in spreading herbs most likely used for curing diseases. He looked up when he heard the sound of his sister's voice coming down the ramp. The girls also looked up towards the group of people now descending into view. Before they even reached the bottom of the ramp, Kriin had already started rushing towards them. Khaiss and Jemiini stood up and followed her. Kriin got to Navirra and embraced her, almost losing her footing as they collided at a pretty good pace. Then she moved over a step to hug the rest of the arrivals in the same way.

"It's so good to see you Khaiss. This is Tiffee and Taam," Navirra said pointing to each of the new faces in her group.

"Hey guys," Ashe said in a solemn tone. "How bad is it?" He then pushed passed them without waiting for an answer and entered the room where his sister was laying asleep. There was a priest leaning over her rubbing some kind of ointment on the stubs where Maleeah's arms had been. They did not look good. There was inflamed red skin surrounding the entire area and in the center of each, where the armpit would've been, was an infected opening that was oozing a thick, green puss.

"Oh no!" Opalora cried out, entering the room behind her son. "My baby girl is hurt. Back away please," she pleaded with the priest, who took a few steps back to allow her access to Maleeah.

Ashe took a hold of his mother's hand as she reached out her other to place it on Maleeah's forehead. It was hot to the touch. A fever had already set in. There were beads of sweat at the brow as well. Opalora dropped to her knees and began to weep.

Ashe turned to the attending priest and asked, "How long has she been like this?"

The priest moved back to the bedside. "The fever started this morning, but the wounds have been leaking fluid since the accident."

"The accident?" Ashe was confused. He was under the impression that his sister had been attacked.

"The encounter is more precise," added the priest.

Opalora looked up, tears still running down her cheeks. "What exactly happened?" she asked, choking on some of her words.

Khaiss came in at that moment to explain. "We were all attacked by a group of orcs and fair-haired elves. Maleeah tried to intervene and was doing a great job until a stealthed elf did this to her. Kriin used her healing waves to seal the wounds, but they were bad and so far Maleeah hasn't been recovering well."

"By the Light. You were attacked? Come here Khaiss," Navirra said, waving her brother over. he walked up and she hugged him again. "I love you so much. I never want to let you go again. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. It is Maleeah I am worried about."

The priest walked over to Opalora and helped her up to a standing position. "I assume you are the girl's mother," he said.

"Yes and I am her brother," said Ashe.

"Then I have some news for you and I am sad to say that it is not good. Please come with me into the other room for a moment."

Opalora ignored him and buried her face into Ashe's chest, sobbing ever harder now. "I know what you are going to tell me," she sniffled. "I can smell death. My daughter is not going to pull through."

"We can talk about it in the other room," said the priest, attempting to usher them away from the others.

"We will deal with this matter as a family, like we always have," Ashe said, pulling Opalora in the opposite direction. "Just tell me how long she has left."

The priest hung his head. "The answer to that is unclear. Could be a few hours, but it could be as long as a day or two. The wounds are not healing like they should be. There was a poison on the blades that pierced your daughter and it is a potent strain that we are not familiar with. I am truly sorry."

"Then leave us," Opalora said. "We want to spend time with her before she passes. You have done all you can for her. We will take over from here. Thank you."

The priest nodded and left the room followed by the rest of the group to allow Ashe and Opalora to mourn in peace. They all walked away from the medical wing and out of the Exodar towards the pod home of Navirra and Khaiss. Once arriving they crowded into the dining area and gathered around a large, oak table. They started brainstorming and sharing their thoughts and ideas on how to proceed from here on out. A few hours passed by like minutes and before long they had left the table and congregated in the main living room where the furniture were softer and the lighting was better. There they stayed, even more long hours into the night.

Taam sat silently for most of the evening. He barely knew any of these people and his heart was heavy with grief. He knew that the future did not appear bright for any of them and he was used to being in control of his destiny. Now it all felt so unsure and he didn't like feeling hopeless. He wanted nothing more than to turn back time, but he was still only an apprentice mage and altering the hourglass was not a learned ability he had acquired yet.

This was not the only thing on his mind either. Taam was also lost in his own thoughts about his new friends, especially the female ones. He had noticed that one of them had taken a strong liking to him from the moment they first met. He saw the way that Navirra acted around him, like a smitten damsel swooning over a handsome prince. He also heard the way she spoke to him, like a giddy, love-struck teenager. It was different from the way that she spoke to anyone else. For now he would have to hide his own interest and mask his emotions. There would be a time and a place for such things after they sorted out all of their messes. Even though he also had been instantly attracted to Navirra from the beginning, he knew that he must stay focused on the present situation and leave his deepening feelings in the back corners of his heart. A storm was brewing on the horizon and now was not the time for him to let his guard down, even for the girl whom he was growing to like more and more with each passing hour. Now was the time for alertness, should the situation arise. He would do anything to protect her and the rest of them.

Priestess Amara also sat silently and listened intently to everything that was being said. There was a lot said about the trouble brewing between the Draenei and orcs and even more said about the prison called Blackwall. She didn't understand most of it, but she knew that whatever was going on was very important because everyone in that room seemed anxious and nervous. All she could think about was her own people, the elves she had abandoned back in Darnassus. Her heart ached for them and the loss of her great city.

"My head hurts," Amara said, getting up from her seat. "I think I'm going to go lay down if that's okay with everybody."

Khaiss stopped what he was saying and turned towards his sister. "Navirra can you show the priestess to one of the guest rooms."

Jemiini jumped into the conversation. "Get some rest Amara. You're going to need all the strength you can get for tomorrow. We will fill you in on everything in the morning."

Amara waited for Navirra and followed her down a hallway to an empty room. The Draenei girl pointed at the bed and said, "You can use this bed or just sleep on some blankets on the floor if you prefer. There's a bathroom over there and you saw the kitchen when you walked in. Make yourself comfortable."

"Thank you young one. Tell everyone I'm sorry for heading out early. I'm just exhausted. It's been a really long day."

"No problem," said Navirra. "Sleep well. I'll try to not make any noise when I go into my room next door later tonight. We'll wake you up bright and early tomorrow morning."

She walked out of the room and closed the door behind the Priestess leaving her alone. Amara strolled over to the bed and flopped down on it. The comforter was thick and she sunk into it as if it were made of water.

She was laying on the bed with her eyes closed and her arms stretched out above her head when she heard the yelling. She bolted upright and sprang towards the door, opening it slightly to see what the commotion was about.

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE

Kirandor and Orgrim had left the Cleft of Shadow feeling a little agitated at how their morning meeting with the Warchief had gone. Emotions were tense for all of them, but they didn't talk about their feelings with each other. Kirandor just wanted to go home and rest. The last few days had been stressful, but they were still on assignment so his relaxation would have to wait. Orgrim had his own motives and the orc Captains were eager to be back out in the action, but Kirandor wasn't too fond of feeling like a glorified babysitter to them. Yet, that was exactly what the Warchief made him out to be. The orcs reported to him, he reported to his sister, and she reported directly to Blackhand. It was a chain-of-command that Kirandor felt was below him.

They had been asked to do a full raid upon the Draenei island and capture or kill all Draenei they encountered. Kirandor wished that they had been able to recapture the escaped Draenei girl, but too much time had passed already so that option was out of the question. She had surely already returned home and warned her people. That left the Horde with only one choice. The raid would happen. And even though Kirandor had no ill feelings towards the races of the Alliance, except for his kin the Night Elves, he was still honor-bound to the Horde and would serve his Warchief even if it went against his personal morals. Honor was all he had to call his own, since leaving the golden forests of Eversong.

He grabbed a mask from the orc that was handing them out at the Capital docks and slipped it into the pocket of his breeches. He then boarded the lead ship in the fleet and walked to the Captain's quarters. His sister was already there, fixing her hair in a mirror that was mounted on the wall by the door, as if it actually mattered what her hair looked like during a raid. She gave him a slight nod as he entered the room and then went back to her primping.

Kirandor flopped on the uncomfortable bed and closed his eyes, hoping to lose himself in sleep to avoid the sickening feeling he usually got in the pit of his stomach when traveling by sea. They sailed from Kalimdor to the eastern shore of Azuremyst. The sea was rough in places, but the majority of the trip went smoothly. They continued to move west, inching along in the shallower waters near the coast, until they were close enough to see land.

"Oh damn," Zalinne said sharply from the deck of the ship, startling her brother from his light sleep. "We are really screwed."

Kirandor swung off the bed and ascended the stairs to see what his sister was complaining about. When he came out from the hold he saw her leaning on the center mast, smashing her tiny fists into the aged wood. She started to pace back and forth across the deck, but stopped when Kirandor touched her arm.

"What seems to be the problem dear sister?" he said.

"Damn, damn, damn," Zalinne repeated, pounding her fist into his chest with each word. "We have sailed too close to shore. There is a settlement just over there and they have surely discovered our approach."

"Calm down a second. Let's assess the situation," said Kirandor, moving towards the bow to get a better look. "If we turn around now we will certainly draw attention to ourselves and we will give them cause for alarm. However, if we keep moving forward, we can act like a simple fleet of fishing vessels and hopefully make it by with no incident. These ships have no armaments. It will be easy to pass as being friendly. Besides, it doesn't even look like that settlement is occupied. Take a better look."

Zalinne stared more intently at the row of huts lining the shore. She didn't see any movement or signs of life. Maybe her brother was right. "You're right. Let's be cool and hope for the best."

They continued to creep forward until their ship was alongside the huts. They were indeed deserted. Zalinne eased her grip on her brother's arm and walked back towards the cabin quarters leaving him on deck with a few orc peons and the ship's goblin captain.

"Maybe we should dock here," said the elf. "We are not sure where they may be hiding lookouts and we might not be lucky enough to go undetected for long."

"A wise decision," said the captain in his high-pitched, squeaky voice. He turned to his deckhands. "Prepare the ship to anchor boys. We will stop here."

Kirandor nodded to the goblin and stepped back below deck to prepare himself for the raid that he still did not approve of.

CHAPTER THIRTY SIX

Navirra was sitting at the massive wooden table in her dining room with a map of Darnassus opened in front of her. On the table, next to the parchment chart was a compass and a piece of tempered glass that magnified documents placed under it. She was searching for possible weakly-defended areas around the city that the Naga had most likely used to assault it and then making dots on the map with an ink quill.

"I'm getting hungry," Tiffee said out loud, rubbing her tummy. She turned and leaned towards Navirra. "Do you have any Dalaran sharp?"

Khaiss heard the goblin and stood up to go find some food for them all to share. "I'm all out of cheese," he said. "But there is plenty of stuff to enjoy in the kitchen area. What should I make us for dinner?" he called out.

Jemiini was in the front room, sitting on the couch with her eyes closed and her foot tapping to the rhythm of the song that Kriin was humming. She wasn't sure what the tune was, but it had a nice melody that was catchy enough to repeat. When she heard Khaiss she opened her eyes and thought for a second. "I'm not really feeling like eating anything," she said in response to the question. "I'm still worried about Maleeah."

"You should try and eat something though. You'll need your strength," said Kriin, stopping her song.

Khaiss tilted his head to Jemiini. "You mentioned earlier that you thought something sounded appetizing. I couldn't remember if it was roasted strider or fish cakes."

"I guess the strider is fine," Jemiini said. "Seafood probably wouldn't sit very well this late at night. Thanks for asking sweet Khaiss. You're always so good to me."

"No problem," said the male, smiling. He turned to go start cooking the meat.

"Roasted strider sounds great," Tiffee squealed as Khaiss walked by her. "Thank you for opening your home to us during this time of crisis. I hate being alone as it is, but I would go insane on my own with all of this craziness going on. And thanks for not being angry with me. After all, I'm the reason you're all in this mess. I should've never brought those Naga to Darnassus. I'm sorry."

"That wasn't your fault Tiffee," said Kriin, pulling the little goblin down for a hug. "Those creatures didn't follow you there. They were headed there anyway. Their attack on the elves was planned out long before they destroyed your town in Kalimdor."

"That's the truth Tiffee," Navirra added, looking up from the map. "Those serpents targeted Darnassus on their own. They had been searching all over the world to find the elves. Our prophet Velen, my grandfather, told me of other cities like Ratchet that were destroyed in the Naga's search for Teldrassil. I even saw some here on our island."

Kriin began to tear up. She was tender hearted and was always more affected than others when it came to things like this. "Why would they want to hurt the elves? As if we didn't have enough problems dealing with orcs. Now the Naga want to harm us and our friends too."

"I don't know why they butchered the elves in Darnassus, but please don't stress too much about it. At least we saved their Priestess. And Ashe and Opalora too."

"We should still be on our guard," said Jemiini. "Since we are harboring the few surviving Night Elves here, we are now a target for the Naga. We don't want any more surprises. I've had enough of those lately."

"You're right," said Navirra. "We don't need any more unexpected shocks right now. That's why I plan on telling Velen about all of this, if he hasn't learned of it already. We could use all of the help we can get until this new enemy goes away."

"Sounds good to me. I can go with you if you'd like." Jemiini stretched out her hand in offering.

That was when the window to the pod house burst, sending glass shards in all directions. Priestess Amara was on her back in the next room, staring at the ceiling when she heard the muffled voices followed by the sound of glass breaking in a distant room. She sat up and swung her legs off the bed just as a second object broke through her bedroom window and rolled under the bed. There was a hissing sound and the room started to fill with white smoke that billowed out from under her feet. She jumped up, tripping over her shoes as she rose. Now sprawled on the floor she could see the object that had shattered the window. There was a small, metallic canister lying on the floor with smoke spraying out of one end. The spreading cloud began to obstruct her vision and the smell hit hit nostrils at the same time. Immediately Amara felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. She clutched at her throat as the snot and tears began to flow from her face.

Khaiss ran into the room, covering his face with a towel and gave the cannister a swift kick that launched it into the room across the hall. There was a floating line of white smoke that floated lazily in the air as the can flew. It bounced on the other bed, did a few flips, and rolled to a stop near the far wall, still puffing out its contents.

"Go for the back door," Khaiss yelled to the women as he pulled the priestess up. He guided his way to the door and away from the cloud of gas, with his hand running along the wall for stability.

Jemiini and Navirra each grabbed ahold of Kriin and Tiffee respectively and made a dash for the back door. They all heard yelling from outside as they ran through the doorway, but couldn't tell who it was. More canisters began breaking through the windows, and every room in the house was soon a fog of choking torture. The whole place looked like it was being fumigated for insects as nearly half a dozen canisters continuously spewed their gaseous toxins into the air.

Jemiini went down quick, being taller than the others. She fainted as she was attempting to exit the pod, hitting her head on the door frame on her way down. Kriin tried to return to Jemiini and tripped over her outstretched arm that was lying across the hallway floor. She also went down. The choking fumes got the best of her and she struggled to get back on her feet.

Tiffee was scared when she saw her friends falling down around her so she did the only thing she thought she could in this situation. She used her Rogue abilities and vanished, shadowstepping through the house and into the fresh air outside where she could see clearly enough to run for safety.

Navirra felt Tiffee's hand disappear, but couldn't see well enough to try and find her again. She made it the furthest towards the exit, but each path she took seemed to be worse than where she had come from and eventually she too fell to the floor. She could hardly breathe through the mucus that was coating her face. She tried one last time to rise, but the effort was too difficult and she tumbled backwards. She stayed down this time.

Tagar and his orcs moved to the front door of the pod house wearing goblin-engineered gas masks. They swung it open and stumbled into the kitchen where they began to search for the inhabitants.

Kriin rolled onto her back next to Jemiini and tried to wipe the snot from her upper lip. Navirra was crawling around aimlessly and hacking violently like a sick dog, trying to clear her lungs and fill them with some clean air. That was when the shadow fell over them. They couldn't see clearly through all the tears, but they noticed about five or six blurry figures.

"Rise and shine," said Tagar who was now standing over them. "I hope you slept well because it was your last night in your own beds."

Navirra focused in on the voice and turned towards it. "What are you doing?"

"Shut your whore mouth," Tagar said as he pulled a blade from the waistband of his pants.

Navirra could see that the sword was sharp by the way the light reflected off it through the gas. "Wait," she said, trying to distract her attacker. "You don't have to do this. Whatever your bosses have promised you is a lie. They will turn on you at the first chance they get."

"Save it for your gods you scum," Tagar said. "Our leaders are better than you will ever be."

"Quit stalling. Just grab them already!" Zalinne yelled impatiently from outside. "Or I'm gonna do it myself."

Tagar nodded to Zalinne and raised the blade to Navirra's throat. "Beg bitch."

"No!" Kriin yelled. It was the last thing she said before she was struck in the back of the head by one of the orcs. Her eyes rolled back in their sockets and her mouth fell open as she tumbled to the floor.

Navirra was frozen as she watched Kriin's body buckle and then slump forward at the feet of the orcs. She knocked the sword away from her and rose to her feet in a rage of adrenaline and madness, rushing at the orc that had hit her friend. She only took one step before being kicked hard in the left leg by Tagar. She stumbled before she could reach the other orc and crashed down next to Jemiini, who was still unconscious. Again she rolled onto her back, this time clutching at her wounded calf.

Zalinne entered the pod and stepped forward, leaning over Navirra. "None of this is personal to us," she said. "We could care less whom you people are. This is part of something bigger. No hard feelings cutie."

"Go to hell," Navirra muttered through sighs of agony.

"You first," said Tagar. He raised his sword and clunked the handle against Navirra's skull. The Draenei fell back and blood spurted out in pulses as she slumped down. Her body convulsed once and then lay still.

"Torch the place," Zalinne said, pointing to the orcs by the door. "Once you get them all rounded up, burn everything to the ground."

The two orcs hauled out the Draenei girls and then walked the remainder of the house to check for others. The rest of the home was empty, so they spent the next few minutes setting the furniture ablaze with their torches.

"Good Riddance," Zalinne said as she and Tagar walked away.

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN

Navirra, who was sitting towards the front of her bamboo cage, saw it first. Off in the distance, beyond the scarce trees and sagebrush, she was starting to see the faint outline of a giant wall, rising above the prairie floor like a massive square-topped mesa. The heat waves from the relentless sun mixed with the slight humidity in the air caused the monstrosity to shimmer like it was covered in some kind of wet substance. As they approached, Navirra watched the wall grow larger and larger until it filled nearly half of the horizon. She looked in both directions and it seemed to stretch on forever, further than her eyes could see.

"That is impressive," she said to herself, straining her eyes to see the details. "And massive." She leaned towards the front of her cage to get a better look. "Beautiful and yet frightening at the same time."

The great wall around Blackwall was solid, made of sturdy wood and some kind of hard clay substance that Navirra was unfamiliar with. The top was covered in razor-sharp metal wires and logs that had been cut to points. There were towers too, covered in Horde flags and torches. From what she could see, there was only one way in or out, through a large gate at the point where the mountains met and opened into the Mulgore valley. The Barrens Highway, the road they were currently traveling on, was the only road on either side of the gate and it led straight to the processing facility at the center of the compound.

The orc pulled the caravan up to the gate checkpoint and eased it over to the side where two armed guards were standing. "Almost there," muttered the driver. "The end of the line for all of you."

Navirra swallowed a hard lump in her throat when she heard the orc's words. There was something about the statement that scared the hell out of her. All of a sudden, she wanted nothing more than to be back inside her little pod house in Azure Watch.

Once they had passed through the gate Navirra sat back up and gazed out of her cage. The road continued onward as it had in the Barrens. There were no forks or branches that led off to the side, just a single road that continued on for miles as it stretched across the prairie towards where the processing facility is located. All Navirra could see was open grassland in every direction. There were no signs of life anywhere. Not even a rolling tumbleweed or a breeze to rustle the sagebrush. It seemed very deserted and uninhabited.

Kriin was in the cage just behind Navirra's at the back of their wagon. Hers was the first cage to be approached by orc guards for unloading. The burly red orc sheathed his mace onto his back as the wagon came to a stop at the processing facility. He moved forward, producing a silver key from a pocket on his legings and inserted it into Kriin's lock. She tried to move backwards away from him but the cage was small so she barely moved at all. The orc grunted as he reached in to pull her out. Her hands, along with those of every captive, were bound inside some kind of enchanted gauntlets that prevented her from using any spells.

When the orc grabbed ahold of her she tried to shake his thick fingers off so she could slip her arm free of his grip, but had no success. The harder she struggled, the tighter the orc clamped his hands down. Krrin could feel the dirty fingernails digging through the mageweave sleeve of her robes, no doubt making little half moon marks on the skin of her wrists. Then her arm was jerked behind her back by the guard. The pressure was getting more and more severe and soon the bones in her arm would give in and snap. She imagined losing the use of her arm from being crushed and the thought made her shutter. She looked up at Navirra and said, "Do something. He's going to break my arm."

Navirra wanted to help, but she was bound and caged still. She had to think quickly because any delay in acting could cost Kriin an arm or worse. Luckily, Navirra was not the only one observing the confrontation between Kriin and the guard. Taam was caged in the wagon behind theirs and he didn't hesitate to make a distraction. Kriin was spared by his quick thinking. "Hey!" he yelled as he rocked forward causing his cage to tumble off the wagon. It nearly flipped over, but the fall was short, so the bamboo cage hit hard and fast, breaking to pieces.

The orc guard looked up and for a brief moment, his fingers eased up on Kriin's wrist. She felt the slight release of pressure and acted immediately. She yanked her arm towards her chest. The mageweave tore a little, but her arm was free. She fell backwards into the side of the wagon when the ripped sleeve slipped loose.

The angry guard and the orc drivers from both wagons charged at the two prisoners growling and yelling in orcish. The guard caught Taam first and swung his thick arm, striking the Draenei mage in the side of the head, knocking him to the ground. The drivers lumbered towards Taam to lift him up for another pummeling while more guards chased down Kriin.

Taam recovered from his fall and saw the guard reaching for his shirt. "Don't you touch me again," he screamed in warning. "I don't need free hands for all of my spells."

The guard ignored him. As soon as his fingers came into contact with the cloth of Taam's undershirt, he let out a blood curdling scream. There were distinct ripping noises followed by the sound of liquid splattering into the dirt. The guard and drivers threw themselves from Taam's body in shock, landing roughly in the dirt on the shoulder of the road. Their hands and a part of their forearms were still clenched around the material of the undershirt Taam was wearing. Their wrists had been obliterated, torn clean from their arms by the arcane blast. Blood spewed forth from their wounds in globing bursts.

Kriin and Navirra watched as the lifeless, bodiless, hands fell from Taam's shirt, still sending off tendrils of red plasma as they hit the ground. Navirra was staring wide-eyed and breathing heavily.

For the moment, the other guards were focused on their wounded comrades and that was all it took for Taam to react. He targeted the one holding Kriin with his mind and an instant later there was no guard. Now, wandering around at Kriin's feet, was a fluffy, white sheep. Taam looked for his next victim as the orc was reaching into his belt to draw out one of his hunting pistols. He flung it free, aimed it at the mage, and prepared to fire.

Kriin screamed out to him. "Taam watch out!"

The scream startled the guard and his finger slipped out of the trigger guard milliseconds before applying enough pressure to shoot the gun. He turned to the girl and decided to shoot her instead since she was closer and he wasn't an expert marksman.

"Don't kill me," said Kriin. "I surrender." She held out her already bound hands.

Before the orc could shoot or recapture her he was also hit with a polymorph spell and lost all control as he became a mindless sheep. That was the last spell Taam was able to cast before he was clobbered on the head by another guard. His eyes rolled back in their sockets and the last thing he saw was Kriin getting hauled away towards the facility.

CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT

Tiffee slipped away unnoticed and crouched behind some coyote brush. She watched in horror as more strangers closed in on the house. It was almost surreal to her how quickly and organized these orcs worked. It was almost as if they had been planning this raid for a long time. The entire extraction process took maybe 15 minutes and then they were back out, dragging behind them many sedated or unconscious bodies with bags over their heads.

Tiffee recognized a lot of the sedated Draenei by their clothing. They were her friends, or at least as close to friends as he had ever had. After the first wave of people was brought out, Tiffee watched as the enemies returned to the buildings to haul out the bodies of the less fortunate. Several bodies with visible knife wounds were drug out and tossed into the back of a large, wagon. It took every ounce of strength in Tiffee to restrain herself from running out to the aid of her friends. Instead, she just watched as everything she held dear was ripped from her in a matter of a few short minutes.

When the mercenaries finally left Tiffee still waited an extra 10 minutes before exiting from cover to survey the damage. She walked slowly into the town, her feet dragging through the dirt. It was almost like she didn't want to see, but some unknown force was pushing her forward anyway. She approached the first pod and could already see evidence of a great struggle. There was a haze of gas still lingering in the air and mazes of footprints scattered in all directions across the thin layer of dirt on the floor.

As Tiffee continued down the street she was amazed and disgusted by the amount of fresh blood splatter along the walls. It made her sick to her stomach to think that this was the blood of people who she had been talking to not even an hour earlier. When she arrived at the inn she collapsed to her knees and wept. The building was in complete disarray.

Tiffee cried and pounded her tiny fists on the stone floor. "Why?" she screamed through a mouthful of phlegm. "Why is this happening to us?" Her shaky voice echoed through the empty room and dissipated down the vacant corridors.

After what seemed like forever, she stood up, brushed the dust from her knees, and balled her hands into fists. There was a gleam in her eyes now that burned with an intense fire. Her innocence was gone. "I will not let this go unpunished," she said through clenched teeth. "I will find the others and I will not stop until every last one of them is returned here safely."

Then she turned towards the Exodar and sprinted, moving through the shadows away from the town. She had to warn the others before it was too late.

The Draenei Prophet Velen was asleep in his chambers when Tiffee burst into his room with some Peacekeepers. They tried to restrain her, but she was small and quick, darting around them with great agility.

Velen sat up in bed and motioned for his guards to stop. "Come child," he said in his famous comforting tone. "What brings you here in such a state?"

Tiffee stepped forward and bowed to him. "Sir, there are orcs on the island. They have already taken Azure Watch. You must protect the people here in the city."

Velen had sensed that something was amiss even before Tiffee confirmed it. The Draenei ancestors, who normally communed with him on a daily basis, has grown silent the last few days. It was almost as if they had known the orcs were near and broke their mental link with him to hide their presence from the orc shamans. They were not the only ones who needed to hide. Velen knew what he had to do.

The prophet ordered his Peacekeepers to start gathering people into the city and then descended deeper into the ship to a place only he was allowed to venture. It was a vault on the bottom level, known as the Seat of the Naaru, where one of the few living Naaru still sat. O'ros, a being of pure light, floated whimsically just above the ground. His crystalline shards glowed a faintly pinkish color, which was unusual. Normally O'ros was more of a soft yellow like the petals of the lilies in Nagrand.

As soon as Velen entered the Seat he felt a strange pain in his mind. It nearly knocked him to the floor with its pulsing force. It wasn't coming from his own head, but seemed to be radiating from O'ros. The prophet tried to close his thoughts and shut out the ill feelings, but it was as if the being of the Light wanted him to feel its pain. Then came the screams. They were all faint at first, echoing from down the corridors that led into the main chamber. Velen could hear the pitiful cries of his people that were being killed and captured all around the island. O'ros was somehow projecting the sounds to Velen's mind.

"Lend us your aid," Velen pleaded. "What can I do to help my people?"

The crystals flickered.

"Please help us. Hide us."

At that moment Nobundo, a Broken shaman and one of Velen's most trusted advisors, came rushing into the alcove from the main ramp. "Dear prophet," he proclaimed, respectfully bowing. "All of the people we could find nearby are safely inside the city. What shall we do now?"

At that moment a vision opened up in front of the two men. O'ros was again projecting his revelations to the Draenei prophet. It was a view of Azure Watch from somewhere in the sky above the town. Nobundo and Velen were struck with fear as they watched the events unfolding before their eyes. They saw the villagers scurrying around in the light of the fires that burned on the rooftops of the structures. Some were being pulled out of their homes by the masked orcs and others were attempting to run. They watched a young Draenei child stumble out of its pod home into a circle of orcs. The vile creatures gathered inward until the child could no longer be seen. Then they heard the youngling cry out in pain, followed by silence. It was an eerie sound that turned Velen's blood cold.

Then the prophet saw his own grandchildren, Khaiss and Navirra. Navirra had her back to them in the vision and there was a strange gas hanging in the air, but Velen recognized her instantly. He watched as she turned around and darted in and out of the different rooms of her pod until she came to the foyer. She then stopped, looked around frantically, trying to decide what to do. Before she could make a choice, a group of orcs in black clothing rushed into the home from behind her. One of them sideswiped Navirra, kicking her in the leg and knocking her to the floor. She hit the ground hard, but remained conscious. Another orc grabbed Khaiss, yanking his arms up behind his back. A sack was then pulled over both of their heads by more orcs, who then proceeded to bind their arms together with coarse cords.

Then Velen saw others. Kriin was kicking out wildly, but to no avail. She too was grabbed by masked orcs. One of them pulled out a blade and clobbered her in the head. Her body seized, shook, and then lay still in the other orc's arms.

Khaiss shook free and rolled onto his knees, attempting to escape. His path was blocked in all directions by the assailants. He charged one of them and rammed into the orc's chest, sending both of them to the ground. The orc grabbed at him as he tried to squirm off, but struggled to hold Khaiss down and only managed to pull off the Draenei's left shoe. Khaiss continued to break free and succeeded by kicking the orc in the jaw with his right leg, but as soon as he regained his footing he was knocked down by what looked like an elf. This time Khaiss stayed down.

"We cannot watch any more of this," Nobundo yelled, grabbing the prophet by the arm. "Let's get out of here."

Velen shook out of his daze, but did not follow the shaman out. "No, we must hide the survivors here in the city. O'ros can do this. I have seen it done before." He turned to the Naaru. "Help us. I beg of you."

Nobundo loosened his grip and left the prophet to go check on the Peacekeepers who were sealing the gates into the city. Although he was running forward and up the ramp, his gaze was set on the phenomenon behind him. As he climbed upward he could see bouncing lights flickering off the walls of the main alcove as he exited the Seat.

The entire Exodar then vanished from sight.

CHAPTER THIRTY NINE

Navirra woke up in a bound state again. She was beginning to get very frustrated with how often this had been happening as of late. This time it was a little better because of the simple fact that she felt no pain from her bindings. Although her arms were tied behind her torso she couldn't feel any type of stretching or exhaustion in her muscles because the cords were not as tight. There was definitely pressure, but nothing too painful.

Her feet were not bound, but her hoof coverings were gone. She looked around for them and saw that they were resting against the far wall. She also noticed that she was in a concrete room with little light and no furniture. It looked to her like a prison cell, or what she imagined a prison cell would look like. There was a steel door at the far end of the room about 20 feet away and it had a small sliding latch window near the center. There was no handle on her side, but she could tell that one existed on the outer side from the ends of the bolts that stuck through the door. The room was otherwise empty. There were no other windows or doors and only one torch that hung from a chain in the middle of the ceiling.

Navirra stood up, dodging the drips from a leaky crack in the ceiling, and walked towards the door. The cold cement floor felt like a sheet of ice on her bare hooves. She stood at the door and shuffled around until her back was against it. She attempted to slide the little window open, but it was too high on the door to reach with her bound hands.

"Damn," she cursed to herself. "Not quite low enough. Maybe I can move it with my teeth."

She whirled back around and tried to get her mouth close enough to grab the bolts with her teeth. Right before her teeth made contact someone on the other side slid the window open. Navirra jumped back in surprise and thanked the Naaru that she hadn't been biting the bolt when the window was yanked open.

"Step back girl," an orcish voice said from outside the room. "Get way back if you know what's good for you."

Navirra bent down and peered through the little window on the door. She saw the pudgy torso of an orc fumbling with a set of keys, but no face. She saw the stranger's hands select a key and then the hands disappeared from sight. She waited as he unlocked the steel door and stepped back a few feet as he swung it inwards. It made an awful screeching noise as the metal slid across the concrete floor.

"Time to go use the facilities before we head upstairs to processing," the guard said. He was middle aged and dressed in a professional uniform. The shirt he was wearing even had the word Blackwall stitched into the fabric just above a pocket on his right breast. Above the other breast pocket was the name Stev, also in white stitching. From that moment on, this orc would be known to Navirra as Security Stev. Despite the non-threatening appearance of the uniform, Navirra was shocked at how disturbing it looked when combined with the red mask with a black handprint across the face that the guard was wearing. "What are you waiting for girl? I don't have all day. Grab your shoes. Let's go." He raised a blunt club at her and waved it, motioning her out of the room.

"Where am I going Stev?" Navirra asked as he untied her hands so she could put her shoes on.

Stev looked at her with a furled brow. "How the hell did you know my name was Stev?" he said grumpily.

Navirra shrugged, pointed towards his shirt, and said, "Your name is written on your pocket."

Stev looked down at the name and grunted. "Oh," he said sheepishly. "I forgot about that. Now quit wasting time. Do you have to pee or not?"

"Yes, please. And I'd love to wash my face and hands if you don't mind. I promise I'll be really fast." Navirra flashed him a genuine smile.

"What you do in there is your own business," Stev said. "Now hurry up or I'm just going to take you straight to processing. He moved towards her, still wielding the club tightly in his left hand. "No funny business. You go in, do your thing, and then come right back out. We've got an appointment upstairs in about 15 minutes."

Navirra nodded and followed him out of the room. It led them into a small corridor lined with other doors that looked like the entrances to multiple other prison cells. There were at least a dozen other rooms that Navirra could see in front and probably even more behind her. She walked quietly next to Steve as he escorted her out of the corridor to another hallway. This one had only two doors, one marked with a male figure and the other marked with a female. There was another masked guard standing outside the female bathroom and he gave a friendly nod to Stev as they approached.

Security Stev walked Navirra up to the female door and tapped it with his club. "In and out," he repeated. "No more than 5 minutes. I'll be right here listening."

Navirra nodded again and pushed the door open. The fluorescent lights inside were extremely bright compared to the dingy hall she had just come from, but the bathroom was clean and tidy. There were three sinks, each with a mirror, and a row of toilet stalls. Navirra went to them first. She did her business and returned to the sinks. Looking into the slightly shattered glass she saw her reflection and it scared her at first. She had a bruised left cheek, a split lower lip, and her hair was a mess. She looked like a shipwreck victim.

"Ouch," she said instinctively as she touched the part of her lip that was split. "What happened to me?"

"You got beat up too?" a voice behind her asked. Navirra heard a toilet flush and whirled around to see Jemiini walking out of one of the stalls. Jemiini's eyes met Navirra's and the recognition was instant. "Hey Navirra," Jemiini said in excitement.

Navirra ran to her brother's girlfriend and hugged her. "Wow, good to see a familiar face. Where are we?"

"Shhh, Navirra. The guards are right outside," Jemiini said, looking over Navirra's shoulder at the bathroom door. "We're in some kind of holding facility."

"What kind of facility?" asked Navirra. "Why are we here? How do you know where we are?"

"Shhh," Jemiini said again. "This is obviously Blackwall. Where else would we be?" she asked hypothetically. "Armed goons come and drag us out of our homes, haul us off with bags over our heads, and stick us in jail cells. What else could be happening here? Think Navirra."

Navirra shrugged her shoulders. "Sorry," she apologized. "I didn't know what was happening. I had no idea what the guard meant by processing. Now I'm feeling a little nauseated."

"You're not the only one," said Jemiini. "I'm sorry for jumping down your throat." She moved Navirra to the side and got between her and the door. "Now listen," she said, grabbing Navirra by the shoulders and whispering. "We are both in this mess together. If we work as a team, we might just have a chance at surviving this. We need a plan."

"What kind of plan?" Navirra asked. "We don't even know where here is. What if we manage to get out of this building only to find out we're on an island or inside a hollowed out volcano?"

"You read too many books. I already told you that this is Blackwall. We're not in the middle of the ocean. Anyway, I'm not waiting around to find out what degrading plans they have in store for me. You shouldn't either."

"What if there are others? Everyone else from Azure Watch must be here too. We can't just leave without them."

Jemiini looked at Navirra for a second as if thinking about what to say and then snapped her fingers. "I've got it. We will escape first, get back to civilization, and get help. We can regroup and come back here to rescue the others, but for now we need to focus on escaping. It will be easier for two of us to slip out unnoticed. If we try and make a massive jailbreak now, we'll all get caught."

"What about Stev and the other orc?" Navirra asked.

"Who is Stev?"

"The guard outside this door," Navirra clarified. Mine's name is Stev. I saw it on his uniform."

Jemiini gave her a funny look. "You learned his name? Whatever, let's move now. There are two of them and two of us. All they have are small clubs and the poor lighting in the hall won't allow for much visibility. We can take them. Come on."

Without hesitation or warning, Jemiini grabbed Navirra by the wrist and pulled her towards the door. Navirra didn't know what was going on, but had no choice other than to follow. She was getting thrown into this whether she liked it or not.

The door swung out fast and both men were caught off guard by the creaking noise of the hinges. Jemiini continued her momentum and flung Navirra at the closest guard. Navirra raised her free arm and as she whirled around, the inside of the outstretched arm caught the guard in the throat, clothesline style. He was a smaller orc than Stev, so the force of the collision knocked him off his feet. He crashed to the floor, dropped his weapon, and started gasping for air.

Jemiini dipped down, released her grip on Navirra, and grabbed the loose club in one fluid motion. "Go," she yelled to Navirra. "I'll be right behind you."

Security Stev couldn't believe his eyes. Never in his career as a guard back in the capital had he ever experienced a hostile prisoner to this magnitude and he definitely wasn't prepared for this kind of scenario. He raised his club and rushed at Jemiini.

Jemiini watched his movements, noticed the weapon was in his left hand, and judged his next move correctly. He swung wildly at her from her right side and she was ready. With a quick ducking maneuver that formed gracefully into the splits, Jemiini avoided the hit and positioned herself perfectly between his legs to strike. She lashed out with her own club and struck him squarely in his groin with all the force she could muster.

Stev let out a solitary piercing yelp and then stopped moving completely for a few seconds. His weapon fell to the floor and bounced towards Navirra as he reached for his throbbing crotch. Tears swelled up in his eyes and he muttered a single word, "Mommy."

Jemiini, still doing the splits on the floor, lunged back and then thrust the club at him a second time, aiming for his stomach. It was much doughier than she expected, but still provided enough pain to momentarily draw Stev's hands away from his crotch. Jemiini jumped up and swung the club a third time. This last strike connected with Stev's left temple, fracturing his skull. He crumpled forward and smashed into the concrete with a solid thud.

Meanwhile, the other guard had regained his breath and was lifting himself up. He stumbled for a second and then attempted to rush Jemiini from behind. Navirra was still there and was observing the whole scene from a safe distance. When she saw the other guard rise, she reacted. She scooped up Stev's club and ran towards the other guard screaming.

The orc was distracted by Navirra's noise and stopped to turn to her. Jemiini also turned at the sound and saw the guard between them. She swung her weapon and it collided with the back of his head as Navirra swung hers at his face. He blocked Navirra's blow, but Jemiini's put out his lights immediately. He stumbled forward and hit the floor at Navirra's feet.

Navirra looked at Jemiini and her lip quivered. "Whoa," she said. "That was crazy."

"You got that right," Jemiini said. "Now let's move."

Navirra and Jemiini moved cautiously down the corridors, making sure to not draw any unwanted attention. The halls were mostly dark, lit only by a few scarcely spaced wall sconces, and there was an overpowering sound of dripping water coming from somewhere. There was also what sounded like muffled yelling and an eerie pounding noise coming from up ahead of them. The girls stayed close to each other, clutching their clubs tightly, ready to swing out at a moment's notice.

Navirra was behind Jemiini and was continuously looking over her shoulder to make sure they weren't being followed. She didn't like feeling trapped underground in an unfamiliar place with all kinds of crazy scenarios running through her head. She kept up her pace, her feet sloshing along in some kind of liquid on the floor. One of her boots got stuck and her hoof came out as her momentum carried her forward. Her stocking went down in the sticky substance with a plop.

"Hold on," she called out to Jemiini. "My boot just came off." She reached down and pulled it up from its sticky trap. "Oh gross," Navirra said, looking at the brown mush that now lined the bottom of her boot.

"What's wrong?" Jemiini asked.

"I don't know. What is this stuff?"

Jemiini grabbed the boot and held it to her nose. She sniffed, gagged, and almost threw up. "By the Light, it smells like diarrhea."

Navirra dropped the boot out of reaction. It landed upside down in the brown goo. Then she noticed that she was standing in it with only her stocking on. She lifted her foot and the sock slid off, staying stuck to the floor. Navirra lost it. She turned her head to the side and vomited. There wasn't much in her stomach, but enough to make the corridor smell even worse.

As soon as Jemiini saw Navirra hurl, she followed suit, not being able to hold it in any longer. Both girls stood there in the hall, heaving their lunch until they were able to regain composure. Jemiini lifted her hand and wiped the excess from her mouth. "That was pleasant," she said sarcastically.

"You're telling me," Navirra said, wiping her own mouth clean.

"Now that that is over with, let's get moving again."

"But I have no boot now," Navirra pleaded. "I'm not walking in that filth bare footed if that's what you're thinking."

"We have no other choice, unless you want to stay here and get caught." Jemiini looked at Navirra as if Navirra was supposed to just give in and go shoeless.

"Seriously?" she asked. "Would you walk in this stuff without a boot?"

"I would if it meant getting out of this creepy place alive," Jemiini said with a shrug of her shoulders.

Navirra looked down at the ground and cringed. "Please say I'm not going to regret doing this," she said to herself as she put her foot down. Her hoof sunk into the mush first. It felt like warm pudding. Navirra almost hurled again, but stopped it with her hand. She kept her hand by her lips until her whole foot sank into the goo. "Oh this is disgusting," she moaned.

"Sorry Navirra, but it's necessary."

"Easy for you to say," Navirra retaliated. "Let's just go. I'll wash my foot when we get out of here."

"Why don't you slip your foot back in the boot? They're both covered in that stuff anyway. It's not like your feet are gonna get more messy and at least you will have a little protection."

"Good point," said Navirra as she picked up her boot and stuck it back on her foot.

Jemiini waited for Navirra to finish. "All set?" she asked. "Good, let's move."

They started walking again, still being cautious at the corners and intersections. It was odd that the place seemed so deserted. They hadn't seen any prisoners or guards since they left the bathrooms. In fact, there had been no sign of life at all. Not even a voice. As they approach a T in the hallway there was a noise that stopped the girls in their tracks. It was the sound of a large, metal door opening just up ahead, followed by some heavy footsteps. The girls weren't sure which direction it was coming from or if the footsteps were approaching or getting farther away.

Jemiini put her hand out to stop Navirra and raised the club in her other hand. Navirra raised hers in a similar fashion, her eyes darting from behind them and back to the fork in the hall.

They heard the door swing open again and this time it was followed by a voice. "Hey Corl," it called out.

The footsteps stopped just short of the corner the girls were hiding behind. A second voice, the owner of the footsteps, responded. "What is it? I'm on my way to lunch."

"I know, sorry for stopping you, but management just called down and they want us to bring up the new batch of girls for processing."

"I thought we were gonna do that tomorrow," the close voice said angrily. "Can't they have Stev and Boriss do it? They're already down there in that sector."

"I guess the boss had been expecting them and they didn't show up, so he wants us to go check on things and bring up the girls ourselves."

"But I was just leaving for lunch."

The girls were listening intently to the conversation. Navirra was beginning to sweat and all of a sudden she felt really hot and flustered. Jemiini looked at her with wide eyes and made a Calm Down motion with her empty hand. Navirra shrugged and mouthed, "I can't help it."

The closer voice spoke again. "This kind of stuff really pisses me off. I'll bet Boriss and Stev are having their way with those girls as we speak. No good, worthless, sacks of kodo dung."

"Well, regardless we gotta go check it out. The boss wants them to be processed within the hour," the other voice said.

There was a long pause and then a deep sigh from the closer guard. "Fine, I'll grab something from the ale house for lunch. Let's get this over with."

The large door swung closed and the girls could hear the approaching footsteps of the other guard. Jemiini held the club high above her head and cocked back her arm, ready to swing. Navirra stepped back one step and planted her feet.

"I'll take the first and you get the second," Jemiini whispered. Navirra nodded.

Jemiini waited until she knew they were right around the corner. She then stepped out from her hiding spot to gain the element of surprise. She swung hard and fast, but the guard was shorter than she expected. The blow went right over his head. Jemiini recoiled, preparing to strike again and then she paused. Her mouth fell open in surprise.

In a rush of adrenaline, Navirra moved into position as soon as she saw Jemiini step out, not noticing that Jemiini appeared stunned. She sprung around the corner behind Jemiini, ready to swing her weapon, but skidded to a stop when she noticed the same thing that had startled Jemiini. Both girls had misjudged how many guards there would be, assuming that two voices meant two guards. They were wrong. There were four orcs and they had all drawn weapons from their belt holsters upon seeing the escaped prisoners.

The short, angry guard laughed. "Well look at what we have here boys," he said. "I think I see why Boriss and Stev didn't report. We have an old fashioned jail break on our hands."

"More like jailbait," one of the other guards said, snickering. His laugh sounded like a wheezing dog. "Look at these two. They're gorgeous little tramps, fresh for the taking."

Navirra and Jemiini were speechless and couldn't move their feet. They knew that they had been bested and there was no escaping now.

"Settle down fellas," another guard said. "These alien girls aren't for us. Believe me, I'd like to have a piece of their sweet asses as much as the next guy, but orders are orders. The boss wants them upstairs. Let's just do our jobs."

"Well you're no fun," the perverted orc said.

"I'm not paid enough gold to be fun," he retorted. "Now grab these two and take them upstairs. I'll go check on Stev and Boriss."

With that, the sensible guard walked past the girls and headed down the hall towards their cells. The other three orcs grabbed Jemiini and Navirra, put rope cuffs on them, and led them away in the opposite direction.

Navirra was behind Jemiini and two of the guards. Jemiini was slightly more muscular and had broader shoulders, so the extra guard was helping to restrain her. Navirra watched as Jemiini squirmed in the tight clutches of the two armed orcs and wanted to tell her to be calm and do as they told her, but their mouths had been gagged at this point. It was a useless thought anyway. Jemiini wouldn't listen even if Navirra pleaded. She was too head strong.

Jemiini continued to fight at the restraints and failed. She looked back at Navirra and then stomped down on the foot of the guard to her left. There was an audible cracking as her hoof ground the orc's toes into the cement. Before the other guard could react to the attack, Jemiini shifted sideways and tried to jab her knee into his ribs. This orc had seen the foot stomping and anticipated Jemiini's next move. He stepped backwards out of reach and laughed at her. "Nice try lady," he smirked.

Navirra and her guard were now watching the others intently. Navirra looked at her captor and could see that he was worried. There was a line of fresh perspiration at his neck and around his hairline, and his hands felt clammy on Navirra's wrists.

"Come on Morgg," Navirra's guard said. His voice was uneasy and his words came out in a stutter. "We don't have all day. Your games can wait. Let's keep moving."

Morgg turned to him and let go of Jemiini's wrist. He put his hand up to his temple, tapping it with his index finger. "Think about it men," he started. "We've got two beautiful, young girls right here in front of us. It's like a heavenly buffet at our fingertips."

The wounded guard still holding Jemiini interrupted. "I know what you're thinking and I don't like it," he said. "Believe me, I'd love to do exactly what you are proposing, but not here and not now. These girls are due for processing and if we are down here any longer, someone will come looking for us. If we get caught making our way with them, then the boss will have our heads on a platter."

"That's only if we get caught," Morgg said, smiling. "Nobody will come looking for a good while. There's plenty of time to teach them a lesson. This one thinks she's tough," he said pointing to Jemiini. "I want to show her just how tough she isn't."

"I still don't think that's a good idea," said Navirra's guard.

"That's because you're a pathetic excuse for an orc Sasho," the wounded guard holding Jemiini scoffed. "Morgg's right. This one broke my foot. She needs to be shown that we are in charge. She's feisty and needs to have her fire extinguished."

Jemiini squirmed even harder, trying to break free from the guards. She also screamed through the gag, but only managed to make the guards even angrier.

"Shut your slutty mouth," Morgg yelled. He wound up and slapped Jemiini across the face with the back of his hand.

Navirra let out a shriek. Her guard, Sasho, tightened his grip and stepped back a little, pulling Navirra with him.

Jemiini's left cheek was split from the ring on Morgg's hand and a trickle of blood now flowed from the fresh cut. She looked up at him and glared.

"Do you have something to say to us?" Morgg asked. "I can't hear you." He put a cupped hand to his stumpy ear and repeated his question.

"Take that gag out of her mouth Azok and we'll find out," Morgg said. "Besides, we're gonna need her mouth for the fun."

Azok shifted his weight off his crushed foot and used his free hand to remove the gag. Jemiini didn't hesitate and spit on him as soon as the gag was gone, hitting him on his bulging, red forehead.

"You little bitch," Azok cried out, wiping the snot-filled saliva from his face. He let go of Jemiini for a second to clean himself, but then grabbed her by the shoulders and shoved her backwards into the wall.

"There's the spirit," Morgg added. He put his arms on Jemiini's back and pushed her down to her knees. "Get down like a good doggy," he laughed.

Navirra was still watching, stunned like a deer. She didn't know what to do. Her stomach tightened and it felt to her like a knot was forming in her intestines.

Jemiini screamed out, but the Azok silenced her with a punch to the mouth. Jemiini's jaw almost broke with the impact and a few of her teeth on the bottom side now felt looser. She let out a muffled cry and looked up at the orcs through teary eyes.

Azok had Jemiini pinned down with his hands planted firmly on her shoulders and a knee in the small of her back. Morgg circled around in front of her, cracking his knuckles and breathing rapidly. "This is so exhilarating," he said to the others. "I've never felt so alive."

"Just wait until you get inside her. I'll bet she's still a virgin too," Azok added. "She'll be nice and tight. You'll like it so much you'll never go back to used goods again."

"You really think she hasn't had her cherry popped yet?" Morgg asked. He was now sort of bouncing around in excitement.

"She's young enough. There's only one way to find out." He shoved Jemiini forward onto her hands and lifted her shirt. There was a tribal tattoo of a sun on her lower back that disappeared under the panty line. "Look at that, boys. A bullseye just for us. It's almost like she wants us to do it."

Jemiini jerked forward, but Azok wasn't letting go even with his injury. He held her firmly to the ground as Morgg approached her from the front. He slid his hands up her torso, still applying pressure, and cupped her small breasts underneath the thin wool shirt. She turned her head and winced.

Morgg grabbed her shirt collar, pulling her head back around, and lifted her bruised face so she could look him in the eyes. He grinned at her and blew some air at her face, blowing her sweaty hair away. "I'm really going to enjoy this," he said. "Consider it as an audition. If we like what we see, then maybe we'll take you home with us instead of sending you to processing with the rest of your filthy kind. Who knows? Maybe I'll even share you with my brothers. That's only if you show me an amazing performance."

Morgg dropped his hands to his breeches and began to unbuckle and unzip them. He removed his belt, a leather strap with a giant star-shaped buckle. This and his trousers fell to the floor around his ankles. He then bent to pull down his undergarments, discarding them and the pants with a kick. Jemiini cringed at the sight of his pasty legs and the thick forest of hair that covered them.

"I hope your pretty mouth will still work after that beating we gave it." He looked up and gave Azok a nod.

Azok straddled Jemiini with his thighs so she couldn't move as Morgg grabbed her collar again. He jerked her shirt forward and bent to be eye level with Jemiini. "No funny business, you hear me? Now, be a good girl and make me happy." He stood back up and grabbed the back of Jemiini's head, thrusting it towards his genitals.

Navirra wanted to look away, but she knew she had to do something to help her friend. Sasho did look away, not sure what to do. Jemiini just hung her head and prepared for the terrible inevitable.

Then there was a sizzling noise followed by a liquid splattering, and then a loud yelp. Jemiini looked back up and saw Morgg backing away with a widening pool of blood forming on the charred shirt tails that hung over his exposed thighs. He bumped into the wall behind him and sunk to the floor, cupping his crotch with both hands. His fingers were now covered in blood. The glossy plasma gleamed under the torchlight. It was almost mesmerizing, but Jemiini had her eyes focused on the struggling orc in front of her and his injury. The skin around his midsection bubbled and smoked. Navirra had done something to permanently remove him from the altercation, but they were all unfamiliar with Light magic and had no idea where the burn had come from.

Azok was awestruck as he watched his friend crumple to the ground in sheer agony. At first he was too shocked to move, but then he wanted retaliation. He stepped back on his good leg, no longer straddling Jemiini, but still behind her. His hands were still clutched around her waist. "I don't know what the hell you just did, but if you move at all I'm going to clobber you in the back of the head," he said to Jemiini. "Put both of your hands on the floor." He released one of his own hands and pulled his pants down, leaving them on over his shoes.

Jemiini sighed and hung her head again. Navirra tried to break free from her guard to run to Jemiini, but he was strong and pulled her in even closer. Morgg had stopped sobbing and was now like a whimpering child, huddled in the fetal position on the floor. He would soon die from his burns and loss of blood.

Azok stuck the fingers of his free hand in the top of Jemiini's pants and yanked them down, pulling her panties with them in a single motion. "You're going to pay for what you just did to Morgg," he said as he positioned himself behind Jemiini with his feet apart, ready to start thrusting. He tipped his head back and closed his eyes, savoring the moment as if it were his last.

It was his last.

When he opened his eyes and lowered his head, the last thing he saw was a door opening at the end of the hallway. Then an object whizzed through the air and sunk deep into his skull between the eyes. His head flew back, his body following, and he struck the wall. His lifeless body slid down to the floor leaving a bloody trail on the tile.

Jemiini looked up through blurry eyes and focused on the direction of the door that had just opened. A groomed orc in fancy leathers stepped through the opening, followed by a stunning blonde in a red dress. Navirra recognized them immediately. It was Tagar and Zalinne. She was holding a second dagger in her left hand and lowered it as her feet cleared the threshold. She handed it to the orc, who wiped it clean with a cloth and placed it into a sheath on his belt.

Jemiini quickly grabbed her pants and pulled them on before scurrying over to where Navirra and her guard Sasho were standing. They all watched the blonde bombshell and the red-skinned orc approach from the doorway.

"What a mess we have here," Tagar said. "Such a pity. I hope we didn't frighten you all."

The guard started to say something, but was cut off by Zalinne. "Don't speak to the Warden unless invited to speak," she said.

"Is this how we treat our guests?" Tagar asked the guard. He was looking at Sasho and expecting an answer. "Well, what do you have to say for yourself? Is this the way we treat our guests around here?"

"But sir," Sasho started to say. "I didn't have anything to do with this. It was all them." He pointed a shaking finger at the bodies of Morgg and Azok.

"And you expect us to believe that you had no part in any of this foolishness?" Zalinne asked.

"I'm being honest," the guard pleaded. "I told them that we should go straight upstairs to processing, but they wouldn't listen."

"Yet you did nothing to stop them," the Warden said. "I see that you have a club on your belt. Did it never cross your mind to use it against these men?"

"I can't hit my friends," Sasho said. He was now beginning to sweat profusely.

"So, you were just protecting yourself then? Or are you a genuine hero who wanted to spare his friends from my wrath?"

The guard looked at Navirra and Jemiini for answers. He was so flustered that he didn't know where to look. "I…" He trailed off. "I'm no hero sir. I simply didn't want to risk my own life protecting these prisoners. Either one of those other guards could have killed me. I'm the smallest one here. It was two of them against one of me. I didn't know what else to do, so I kept my mouth shut and my weapon holstered."

Jemiini pushed her way in front of Sasho and walked up to the classy orc. "They all tried to rape me," she lied. "Those two guards and this one too." She jutted her thumb over her shoulder at Sasho. "He was cheering them on the entire time."

Tagar looked at her and smiled. "There, there," he said placing a hand on Jemiini's shoulder. "You're safe now. I'm sorry for what happened to you tonight. It seems that I need to do a better job when I pick guards for this facility."

"She's lying," the guard yelled. "I was standing here with this Draenei girl the whole time. I swear to you."

"Your word is no good to me," said Tagar. He unsheathed the dagger and handed it back to the elf. She lifted it updelicately by the blade, twirling it between her fingers.

Sasho saw what was happening and removed his club. He grabbed Navirra, who was still standing near him, and pulled her in, raising the weapon over her head. "I'll kill her," he said. "Don't test me because I'll kill her. Let me go." His eyes were darting back and forth between Zalinne, Jemiini, and the Warden.

Tagar waved his hand at the guard in a peaceful gesture. "There is no need to get crazy on us," he said. "Put your weapon away and let's discuss this like gentlemen. Can you do that? Can you talk with me like a gentleman?"

The guard stepped backwards a few feet and began waving his club back and forth in the air, pointing it at all of them. "Don't come any closer," he said frantically. "I swear I'll beat this girl to death."

At that moment another two orc guards entered the hallway from around a corner behind Sasho. It was the guard who was with him from before. He had returned and was helping Security Stev to the infirmary. "What is going on here?" he asked as he saw the commotion down the hall. His voice caused Sasho to turn around.

Zalinne saw the distraction and released the blade. It flew fast and true, impaling Sasho in the back of the head. Navirra screamed, not expecting it, and broke loose of the dying guards grasp. Sasho's eyes rolled up in his head and he fell forwards towards the other dead guards. His face hit the ground with a solid thunk. Navirra ran to Jemiini and they embraced.

Zalinne walked past the girls to the two guards who had just arrived. "Get this mess cleaned up," she said to them. "Then get yourselves taken care of. It looks like you've been through hell."

Tagar moved to Navirra and Jemiini and put an arm around each of them. "Come with me my dears," he said in a comforting voice. "Let's take you somewhere safe."

CHAPTER FORTY

Ashe was the last one to mount an elekk. He hopped up into the saddle gracefully and squeezed in next to his mother who was leaning forward talking to Velen on the elekk in front of them. Opalora noticed the movement and put a comforting hand on her son's knee. She gave it a little pat and smiled. Ashe grabbed her hand and gave it a quick squeeze. Then he leaned into her and laid his head on her shoulder as if he were just a young kid again. He kind of felt like a little child. Having his sister die wasn't easy. He needed to feel loved.

Opalora began to stroke his dark hair with her free hand as the elekk caravan headed away from the city towards the pillaged town of Azure Watch. As they crossed the bridge into the heart of the island they could already see the smoke. It rose in a thick cloud, creating a heavy, black haze over the neighborhood like a dense fog. Time seemed to almost freeze as they approached the disaster.

"Elune help us!" Opalora blurted out. A sickening knot began to form in the pit of her stomach.

The elekks stopped a few paces from the smoldering rubble that used to be the town inn. There was a barricade of broken furniture and overturned crafting benches blocking the way down the street. "I guess this is where we get off," Ashe said, sitting up and sliding off the back of the beast.

Velen fumbled at the reigns of his elekk. He finally managed to steady his shaking hand enough to dismount. He landed delicately in the ash covered dirt and walked around to where the elves were standing.

"What happened here?" Ashe asked. "Who did this and where are all the poeple?"

Some other survivors from the Exodar joined them and they were all looking down the road into the remains of the town. One Peacekeeper skirted around the debris and slid over the broken tables to start searching for any signs of life. He was hopefull, but knew that his faith was in vain. Velen started to follow, but was restrained by some other Peacekeepers.

"Let us clear the way," one of them said.

"It is too dangerous to climb over," added another.

The Prophet waited for them to remove some of the larger pieces of furniture out of the way and then proceeded to enter the town square. He made his way down the southern hill towards the location of the pod house where his grandchildren lived.

"Where are you going?" Ashe asked, catching up to the old Draenei.

"To survey the extent of the damage," Velen said, as he finally got close enough to see the pod. He fell to his knees and trembled, not knowing what to expect from the horrible condition of the outside.

Ashe noticed the prophet's actions and began to put the pieces together in his mind. "That's Navirra's house isn't it?" he questioned, pointing at the rubble.

Ashe could sense that something was wrong. He felt like the one responsible for what was happening, yet helpless to do anything about it. The Draenei Prophet desperately needed some reassurance and support. Ashe had to say something, anything to break the suffocating atmosphere, but he couldn't find the right words. "I'm so sorry. There's nothing left. Do you want me to go inside and see what I can find?"

Opalora hurdled the barricade and ran over to Velen who was now sobbing into his hands. Her son had bent down trying to console the man, but it looked like he wasn't having any luck. Ashe didn't have any good social skills and seemed to be making the situation even more awkward and uncomfortable. Opalora pushed past him and sat down on the cement next to the Prophet. She wrapped her arm around his quivering frame and pulled him in for a hug.

"Velen," she said softly, placing a hand on the man's shoulder. He looked up at her through teary eyes. "I know how you feel. I lost my own house to a fire just a few days ago. And my daughter passed on as you know. Sometimes the Gods send us trials like these to help us grow."

"You are wise beyond your years, young elf," Velen said. "You will make a fine leader some day."

Opalora was struck. She wasn't sure if the Prophet had just given her a revelation or if he was simply paying her a compliment. She didn't have time to decifer it either. At that moment there came shouts from the town square up the hill.

Ashe looked up and focused his gaze towards the commotion around the charred remains of the buildings. Out in front of the blacksmith hut, about a stone's throw past another set of pods was a Naga warrior. He watched as a group of Peacekeepers surrounded the serpent and began to slay it with their swords. Then another Naga appeared and began to defend its friend with a weapon that resembled a pitchfork. More and more Draenei and Naga joined in the fight, each adding to the bloodshed.

Ashe finally spoke up. "Sir, we need to get you to safety. Is there a secret passage around here that leads back into the city?"

The Prophet stood up and wiped the tears from his eyes. "There are no secrets here and no time to run. We must stand and fight," he said in a solemn tone. He was no longer choking on his words.

Ashe was taken aback. The words fell heavily on his heart, causing his chest to feel compressed. His breaths came in gasps. He knew that fighting would not end well for them. They were vastly outnumbered. "I trust that you are a seasoned combatant, but even one as skilled as you is no match for an army. These creatures are not to be taken lightly. They destroyed Darnassus in less than an hour. If we stay here we will surely be slaughtered," he said.

"What other choice do we have?" questioned Velen. "I would rather die defending my people. This is where I belong."

Ashe got down on all fours and began to shift into his bear form. "There is another way out," he said. "Climb on. I'll get us to the beach and we can swim for Kalimdor."

"But these vile creatures come from the sea," said Velen. "We will never make it out alive."

The bear looked down the pathway towards the water. There didn't seem to be any Naga on the beach, but it was a ways off and there could be any number of enemies lurking under the surface. The Prophet was right to worry, but Ashe didn't see any other way to get them to safety. Neither he nor his mother was strong enough to carry another person while in their storm crow form, so flying away was out of the question. And they were on an island so they could only go so far on land before they would be caught or have to enter the water anyway. Ashe expressed his concerns to the Prophet who listened intently.

Opalora helped Velen onto Ashe's back when the Prophet finally decided to trust them. "No need to be a great swimmer," she reassured Velen. "My son will take you to the mainland in his aquatic form. He is very fast."

As Velen climbed onto the bear he heard Ashe speak again through it. "And there is no need to feel like you are abandoning your people. This terrible Naga attack will not go unpunished," he said. "We will make things right again. Our peoples share a common misfortune and now a common enemy. The orcs and the Naga will pay for their crimes against the innocent. I will stand by you and any other Draenei until my dying breath to see this through. Justice will be served."

"A great thought, but sadly it will not be so," said Velen. "We are no match for this new threat or the orcs. We are not capable of battling enemies on two different fronts, especially being as scattered and broken as we are. I have failed as a leader. My precious Draenei haven't had enough time to recover from our last conflict with the orcs back on Draenor. I am not fit to carry on as their Prophet. Even the Gods deny me and refuse to guide me now."

"Do not be discouraged dear Prophet," said Opalora. "You aren't responsible for what happened here or to my people in Darnassus. You have been nothing but protective, supportive, and helpful to my family since the moment we first met. You didn't even know us or our elven culture, yet you risked your life trusting us. You are a great leader. Never doubt that. If the Gods are truly silent during our time of need then we will carry on without them."

"She's right," said Ashe as he began to run for the sea.

Velen wasn't finished. He turned around and placed a gentle hand on Opalora. "Your words bring a small bit of joy to my burdened heart. That is a good quality to have. We are all leaders in one way or another. Just because you are young doesn't mean that you are any less prepared or any less capable than I am to deal with the kinds of tragedy that we have experienced here today. You lost your daughter, your home, your Priestess, and your innocence. Yet you still find the strength to smile and comfort an old man. I am impressed and even a little jealous of your courage and willpower."

"Thank you," said Opalora.

"But I'm afraid our actions will never be remembered by anyone. We are only three and although we are a great group we will be forgotten because our enemies are numberless and the revelations that made me a Prophet have ceased. The Naaru used their last strength to hide our city from the orcs and now the Naga have come to finish the job."

"Do not lose hope," said Opalora as Ashe entered the waves. He shifted into seal form with his two passengers still clinging to his back.

"I am very old and sometimes it seems that I have spent my entire life running from enemies like these," said Velen. "I grow weary and without the aid of the Naaru and the Gods I fear that all is finally at an end."

"The visions and voices will return Velen. I am sure that the Naaru are suffering just as we are. They have to endure watching us fight and kill each other. That must be very taxing on beings that are composed purely of the Light."

"O'ros was always trying to teach me that strength to defeat the agents of shadow comes from the place where we would least expect it. I never really listened to him before because I was either too stubborn or blinded by the divine assistance I always received from him and the Gods. I finally understand what O'ros was saying now. True strength in times of darkness can come from within ourselves. We can find the power to move forward and triumph inside our own hearts and minds. This is our time to rise up and take control. And I am not going to let the death of my people bring me down to a place where hatred and remorse will destroy my soul. I am going to count my blessings and move forward to a brighter future. I still have my health and my friends. And there are possibly survivors somewhere out there who need me. I can't help them if I'm sitting here crying over the past. I must be strong for them."

Both elves were staring at Velen in awe and admiration. Neither knew what to say. It was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. The silence in the air was powerful and no one wanted to ruin the moment. They just stood there, floating on the waves, mulling over the words that had just been said and trying to cherish the thoughts that Velen's statements invoked.

Finally Opalora spoke. "Thank you for that Velen. I couldn't have said it better myself. And as you said, there are people out there who are depending on us to be strong. We may not seem like we can win with the odds stacked against us, but we have heart and we have a goal. We must fight to get our friends and loved ones back. It won't be easy, but I'm tired of always running and hiding. It's time that we got on the offensive side of this fiasco. Who's with me? Who's ready to step out of hiding? It's time we bring the fight to them." Opalora put her hand out, palm down, in the gesture of a peace offering.

The Draenei Prophet put his hand on top of hers. Ashe snorted and nodded his seal head in agreeance.

"We need to gather our wits and make some preparations," said Velen. "Where can we go? Everywhere we thought we were safe has been destroyed."

"There is a place on Kalimdor where our greatest sages go to seek aid from the Gods. It is called Moonglade. I believe that we can go there and commune with the Light to contact our scattered people. We may not have time to join them in the fight, but we should at least be able to provide them with guidance."

"That sounds like a good place to start," said Velen. "We can gather a few supplies once we make landfall and then make our way to your holy glade."

"Agreed," they all said in unison, as Ashe began to swim again.

CHAPTER FORTY ONE

Navirra and Jemiini, still very shaken up about what had just happened, followed Zalinne and Warden Tagar through the door and up a set of masonry stairs. The hallway at the top led them towards a lift that took them up a few more floors. When they got to the top Navirra could see that they were in a foyer of sorts. There were plush couches and overstuffed chairs leaning against the decorative walls. Hanging from the ceiling were flowing, velvet curtains and on the floor was a classy rug that looked like it had come out of some posh elven city. As Navirra walked into the room, the pleasant aroma of vanilla and lavender filled her nose, pleasing her senses.

Tagar's clean, white leathers shone brightly against the deep colors of the wall tapestries. Zalinne's red dress also stood out, yet it looked very fitting in this chic room. Its long, silky train spread elegantly across the floor in a crimson half-circle. Navirra stared at this new environment and somehow felt underdressed. It was as if they had exited the dark, filthy dungeons of hell and entered into the polished courts of heaven all of a sudden.

"Right this way ladies," Tagar said, ushering them through another door into an office. This room was equally as elegant and luxurious as the foyer. Navirra's father had built an office like this one in her old home back on Draenor. It wasn't nearly as large or furnished as nice, but the shape of the room and the layout of the furniture took Navirra back to a time when life was good, a time when her father was still alive. She smiled, thinking about how nice it would be to be back in her old home, curling up in her daddy's lap by the fireplace and sipping a hot tea while he read her stories. She wished to be there again.

This office wasn't quite as comforting, but the décor gave it a warm feeling. There were polished wood bookshelves filled with old tomes along the back wall and at the center of the office was a large, oaken desk. Tagar walked around the desk and sat down in a black, leather chair.

Navirra waited at the door, but Jemiini entered in and strutted up to the front of the desk. Zalinne grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "Excuse me," she said, quite rudely. "Did he ask you to approach him?"

Jemiini looked at her in shock. Then she scoffed and put her finger into Zalinne's chest. "Did I ask him to drag me out of my home, kill my friends, and splatter my face with the blood of those perverts back there?"

Zalinne was stunned. She didn't expect Jemiini to talk back to her. She wanted to slap her or claw at her face, but instead she looked to the Warden for guidance on how to proceed. The orc was in the chair with his feet propped up on the desk, stroking his chin. "Well, well, well," he said, removing his necktie and placing it on a drink coaster. "She has some spirit, I'll definitely give her that."

Jemiini turned to him and sneered. "Just who do you think you are?"

"That's the Warden of Blackwall, Tagar Spinebreaker," said Zalinne as if the Draenei girl was supposed to recognize the name.

Navirra took a step forward. "He's the one responsible for all of this. He thinks that he owns the world here on Kalimdor because nobody challenges his power."

"Shut your mouth tramp," Zalinne said. "You don't speak to the Warden like that. You're lucky that we didn't just kill the two of you. Being here with us instead of down in the processing room is a privilege that can be easily revoked, so hold your tongue if you know what's good for you."

"Calm down Zalinne," Tagar said. "The girl is right. I am partially responsible for all of these things, but I never did any of them with the intention to make you upset." He motioned for Navirra to come closer. She took another step into the office and stopped. "I'm just following orders. It's my job to do as the Warchief commands," he added.

"We aren't your slaves," Navirra said in her defense. "You act like us Draenei are some kind of plague that needs to be exterminated, but the truth is that we are not much different than you. We both have a lot of pride. We were both taken advantage of by the Burning Legion and we both suffered a lot because of it. There are good and bad among both our races, but if we put our petty squabbles aside we can both make a better world for our children and future generations."

"That is where you are wrong," said the Warden. "It is true that the foul demons of the Twisting Nether infected my people and caused us to do unspeakable things. But your corruption is your own. Kil'jaeden and Archimonde were Eredar, the same as your so-called Prophet. They started all of this. You Draenei are to blame for your own suffering. And if not stopped, the corruption will continue to infect each and every one of you until it is your undoing. You just don't realize it yet." He motioned towards Jemiini. "All it takes is a little push and the poison would consume you like a virus. But no need to worry. Your infection is purely mental, a genetic disease that can easily be removed if you simply choose to change your attitude towards us and ignore anything that has transpired between our races in the past."

Navirra's jaw almost hit the floor she was so stunned by the orc's words. "Do you even know what you're talking about? The eredar were corrupted by a much more powerful demon, a demon titan to be exact. They didn't just decide on their own to start this war."

"I don't believe you," Tagar said. "And even if what you say is true, it still doesn't justify your people coming to our home world and bringing the corruption with you."

"I am truly sorry for the pain that Kil'jaeden and Archimonde caused your people, but we did not guide our ship to your world and we didn't know that they would ever find us there. Besides, you orcs are not innocent in this. You too were convinced by the Burning Legion to act in ways that you now regret. So why, even now after the demons have been vanquished, do you still treat us with such disdain and hatred?"

The Warden looked at Navirra with a raised eyebrow. "You keep talking about the way you are treated, yet you haven't even seen the conditions of our residents here at Blackwall. You have no idea how good or bad we orcs are now."

"I've heard stories," said Navirra.

"Most of which are a lie, I'm sure," said the Warden. "Have a look for yourself." He swiveled in his chair and scooted over to a set of screens mounted on the wall to his right. "These view boxes were created by our best engineers," he said. He picked up a remote control and pointed it at the screens. They flashed on simultaneously and each one showed a camera feed from a different part of the complex.

"You see. They are all being treated quite humanely in my opinion," said Tagar with a grin as fake as what was projected on the monitors.

On one screen there was a picture of a banquet hall. The tables in the center of the room were lined with all kinds of edible delicacies and there were Draenei enjoying the food and drink with laughter and smiles. On another feed there was what looked like a spa. People were sitting in hot tubs, swimming in a giant lap pool, or getting massages, manicures, and facials. On a third feed there was an arena that had sport courts and recreational fighting pits.

"What is all of this stuff? Is this some kind of a joke?" Navirra had moved close to the screens and was moving her eyes back and forth between them. She had never seen such technology before and the images were startling.

"Am I laughing? This is no joke my dear. This is Blackwall. Not as bad as you imagined, is it?" Tagar smiled again.

Navirra couldn't believe what she was seeing. All of the screens depicted people having fun. No one seemed angry or sad at all. And it didn't look like a prison in any way, shape, or form. It was nothing like how Navirra had imagined it.

"This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen," Jemiini interrupted. "You actually expect us to believe that these images are real? Don't try to act nice and gracious to us. You're scum just like every other orc in this hell and I'll be damned if you think you can pull the wool over my eyes. I can see right through your lies."

This time Zalinne did strike Jemiini. It was an open fisted punch to the side of the head that made little stars appear in the girl's eyes. Jemiini screamed and recoiled, ready to hit back, but Tagar stood up fast and grabbed Jemiini's raised arm.

"Stop it," Navirra screamed. "All of you, just stop. There has been enough violence here today. I'm sick of it. Please calm down."

They all looked at Navirra with confusion on their faces. Zalinne was leaning back out of the reach of Jemiini's swing. Tagar was still restraining Jemiini, attempting to break up the fight and Jemiini was in his arms flailing and trying to break loose.

"All of you are acting like children," Navirra continued. "Why don't you settle down so we can have a normal conversation and get some answers? I want to know the truth and I want the Warden to tell me."

Jemiini ceased her struggling and Tagar released his grip on her forearm. They were now standing in an awkward semicircle around the desk looking at each other. Jemiini stepped back slowly and joined Navirra near the door. Tagar plopped back down at the desk and Zalinne walked around behind him, resting her hands on the top of the chair. She drummed her fingers for a second and then lifted her hands to massage the back of his neck.

"Ah, that feels great," Tagar purred. "Now, where were we? Oh yes, we were discussing my generosity. Like I was saying, I am a wealthy orc, but a charitable one as well. I was trusted with this importasnt position by the Warchief and I set out with the purpose of turning it from a prison into more of a resort for you Draenei. In fact, for most of you it is a step up from how you were living before."

"You mean, before you drug us out of our homes with bags over our heads?" asked Jemiini quite rudely.

Tagar glared at Jemiini, but kept his cool. "Take this girl downstairs to processing Zalinne. I am sick and tired of her rude interruptions."

"With pleasure," said Zalinne. She nodded and walked over to Jemiini. "Shall we?" she said. She took a stubborn Jemiini by the arm and ushered her out of the office.

The Warden waited until they had gotten out of earshot before speaking. "Now that we are alone I would like to introduce you to a friend of mine. I'm sure you will recognize him instantly."

The Warden got up from his chair and walked over to Navirra, sticking his hand out towards the door behind her. Navirra rotated around and came face to face with two massive orc guards. Standing behind them was another orc, one whom everyone in Azeroth would've recognized as Warchief Blackhand. He was a wormy looking orc with hollow cheeks and bulging eyeballs. He had a disheveled mess of hair on his balding head, an unsightly beard, and thick, veiny grey skin. And as if to accentuate this odd persona, he was standing just a few feet away from her with a creepy smile on his scarred face.

Tagar waved his hand at the guards, motioning for them to enter. "Navirra, I'd like you to meet Warchief Blackhand, leader of the Horde," he said, strolling across the office to shake hands with the newcomer. "And sir, I'll leave the two of you alone as you have requested," he said to the Warchief.

"Thank you Tagar," said the Blackhand as the Warden exited the room, leaving Navirra with just him and his two guards. The Warchief turned to them and said, "Gentlemen, you may step outside. I will be fine in here without you. I will call if I need anything."

"Yes sir," said one of the guards. The two of them then left the room, closing the door behind them.

The Warchief walked over to the desk and sat down in the chair that Tagar had just been occupying. There were no similarities between the two orcs, Navirra had noticed. Tagar wore nice clothing, had a well-groomed haircut and strong facial features. This man was not attractive in the least bit. Tagar also had a powerful voice and an equally solid, muscular physique. The Warchief, who maybe once was in his physical prime, was now a pudgy and weathered old man. He was not what a representative of the mighty orcish Horde should look like. But despite his uncommon appearance he did have one thing in common with the Warden. Both men held themselves with a certain pride that only men of great importance had. Typically this would be attractive to Navirra, but these two orcs just sickened her, no matter what they looked like on the outside. There was something about the way that they both seemed fake, lacking the genuine quality that a man like them, with their status should have.

"Have a seat," The Warchief grunted at Navirra, pointing to a chair in front of the desk.

Navirra confidently walked over and sat down, staring directly at the orc as she did, to show that he didn't intimidate her.

"Look at all of this," he began. "This is actually my chambers when I come to visit Blackwall. Not too shabby if I do say so myself. I have worked very hard to get where I am. This room and the furniture in it are worth a small fortune. Money like this doesn't just grow on trees. I am a business man among other things. I like to live in style, but I'm not a selfish orc. I am willing to share my good fortune with others. I never ask anything of another person without giving them something more valuable in return. Take my mate Zalinne for example. She is the widow of my late brother Brutus, an orc who was robbed of life too early. I took Zalinne in after his untimely death at the hands of a murderous Draenei and provided a home for her and a shoulder to cry on. Our relationship is proof that good things can come from terrible circumstances."

"Why do I care about any of that?" Navirra said. "That's your own odd business."

"You should care because our histories are intertwined. Let me fill you in on a little secret. I know who you are Navirra Sanali. I have known your family for many years. Let's just say that I am part of the reason that your father is gone today. I was once the Master of Ceremonies at the Ring of Blood. I oversaw the gladiator fights in those pits where your father made a name for himself. But that was in a different life. I am a changed man and I have moved on since then."

Navirra cleared her throat. "So you were the one who forced my father into slavery? I don't remember you."

"I'm no slaver Navirra. Although I could probably do a better job at it than most of the half-wits who acquire the fighters. I am simply a powerful orc with many powerful friends."

"My father was an innocent man and you stole him from my family."

"Would you rather we had killed him?" said the Warchief. "Your father was a spy and was caught meddling where he didn't belong."

"You monster," she said through clenched teeth. Her fists were balled at her sides. "He wasn't a spy. He was a scout. How could you do that to my father?"

Blackhand ignored her question and continued to talk as if he hadn't heard her. "I have built this Horde upon the shoulders of many men and women; Orc, Draenei, and others alike. But for their hard labor I have rewarded them with a higher quality of life. They help me and I help them. We scratch each other's backs. That's how life should be. We shouldn't be betrayed by those who are closest to us, those who are responsible for our well-being. Your father abandoned you Navirra. He made a silly mistake venturing into our camp and it cost him his freedom."

"He didn't abandon me you freak!" screamed Navirra. "He was captured and taken from me because of you and your precious Horde."

"Now, now," said the orc. "Let's not go calling each other names. I can let it all go if you can. Let bygones be bygones."

"You sick son of a bitch." Navirra shook her head in disgust. "I will never forgive you for what you did to my family."

"You mean, what he did. I had no part in it. But you can blame me. That's your choice and you can live with your decision. I however, am going to focus on the future. Like I said before, life should be about helping other people when they have been beaten down by the world. Wouldn't you agree?" He didn't wait for her to answer. "But sadly, that is not the way that life is. We don't live in a perfect world where we get treated with respect and dignity. Life is cruel and will crush us when we are most fragile as it did with my brother and your father."

"I'm not following you," said Navirra. "Is this just a stupid metaphor to make you sound innocent?"

"You are young and probably wouldn't understand even if I told you. But all of that aside, I want you to know that you are safe with me as long as you don't cross me. Is that a fair deal?"

"Hell no. Not only did you destroy my family, but you destroyed my new home as well and you're responsible for betraying the Tauren," said Navirra. "A tribe that you removed from their ancestral lands so you could build this horrible place to imprison my people. How is that supposed to make me feel safe with you?"

"I meant no harm. You're alive, aren't you?" said Blackhand with a devious smile. "I didn't kill you when I had my men bring you in. What kind of a person do you think I am?"

"A confusing one," said Navirra. "So, if you didn't abduct us to kill us, then why did you bring us here?"

"What makes you think that you will be harmed here? Did you not already see how we treat our residents at Blackwall?"

"I saw," said Navirra. "But that doesn't mean that those images are real."

"Why would they be fake? What do I have to gain from treating you inhumanely? I am not the monster you think I am. That would be hypocritical of me. I have been given a generous life by the good graces of the Gods. Why would I waste this opportunity? I want to spread my generosity to everyone. That's why I volunteered to be Warchief in the first place. Now I have the power and means to ensure a better life for all races of the Horde. I can protect us from the threat of the Alliance and at the same time I can provide a sanctuary for your people right here. Everybody wins. And it can all be yours as well if you convince your grandfather to join us."

"What's the catch?" Navirra was getting suspicious.

"No catch. There are no secrets with me," he lied. "This is just the kind of orc that I am. I am a distinguished leader after all." He paused to let it all sink in.

"There must be something behind all of this. You wouldn't just give it all away for free. That makes no sense."

"Why Navirra? Has the world jaded you so much that you can't accept that there are good people who just want to build a brighter future?"

Navirra wasn't sure what to believe. The orcs were responsible for so much of the destruction from her past. She didn't know what part this Warchief had played in all of it, but could any of them be trusted. Now he was trying to convince her that he was different than the corrupted clans from Draenor. Maybe he was. "It is a lot to think about," she said. "Maybe I am just a bit too skeptical."

"What other choice do you really have? It is either join the Horde or the Alliance. You Draenei are new to this world, so you have not yet been influenced by either side. We can offer you all of this and more." Blackhand waved his hand towards the monitors. "Your only other option is to side with the enemy. The Alliance is trying to destroy the peace we have established here. After the corruption left us, we were stranded in this strange land, just like your people were once refugees to our home world. The Alliance do not want us here. They fight us on all fronts. We need your help. We just want to live. The choice is yours Navirra. Please consider talking to your Prophet."

Navirra was unsure of what to do. Of course she didn't want to stay in this place, but the thought of being exiled again frightened her even more. What could she do?

"Please," repeated the Warchief.

CHAPTER FORTY TWO

The blonde woman Zalinne returned and led Navirra back through the fancy foyer to the same lift that she and Jemiini had arrived on. Navirra didn't like being this close to Zalinne again. The woman made her skin crawl. Even though she hated being touched by the crazy blonde, Navirra didn't try to resist as Zalinne led her down into the facility. Navirra was done fighting and running. It was mentally exhausting and she didn't want to risk her life anymore. Navirra had accepted her fate for the time being. For now, she would go along with it and play the Warchief's game without hesitation. He had too many surprises up his sleeve.

The lift continued downward and stopped at the very bottom. This would mean that they were now underground. Sure enough, the door was opened, revealing a dimly lit hallway, much like the ones she had started out in with the orc guards.

"How big is this place?" Navirra questioned.

"That's none of your business," answered Zalinne snidely. "Just follow me and keep your mouth shut." She escorted Navirra off of the lift and down the hall to a locked door.

Zalinne reached into the neckline of her red dress and removed a key on a chain from her cleavage. She inserted it and opened the door. Inside there were many tables with chairs, some of them occupied and others empty. Zalinne took Navirra to the right corner of the room and then walked away, leaving Navirra near where she had dropped Jemiini off a few minutes earlier. Jemiini was leaning against the wall and the two of them flashed smiles to each other when Navirra arrived, both being glad to see that they were each still okay. In front of them was another table and two chairs, one chair in front and one behind. In the chairs behind the table were two orcs wearing security uniforms similar to the ones the other guards had been wearing earlier. The one on the right motioned for Navirra to have a seat in the empty chair facing him.

Navirra stood still for a moment, not wanting to leave Jemiini, but when Jemiini fluttered her hand in a shooing gesture, Navirra walked over and sat down. Her chair made a screeching noise across the metal floor when she pulled it back. For a few moments the room went silent as everyone stared in her direction. Then a low rumble of voices filled the air again as everyone returned to their business.

"What is your full name?" the orc asked Navirra. His voice was calm and steady, but had an eerie smoothness to it.

"Um, Navirra," she answered. "Navirra Sanali." She looked over at Jemiini who had taken a seat and was being interrogated by her guard as well. Navirra started to feel a little nervous and shifted her weight in the chair.

"Very nice," said the orc. "So Miss Sanali, you are a Draenei from Draenor I assume from your age. Where were you born?"

Navirra looked confused at the guard's choice of questions. "I was born in Terokkar and raised in Nagrand. Why do you ask?"

"Don't worry about the reasoning. The questions are on this form. I ask the same ones to everyone. I'm just doing my job and I'd appreciate it if you'd just answer them as quickly and truthfully as you can so we can move this process along."

"Um, okay," Navirra said, scanning the room. She looked towards the other tables, recognizing most of the other prisoners.

"How old are you Miss Sanali?" the guard asked, attempting to keep the interrogation session going.

"What?" Navirra said, only half paying attention to the guard. "Oh, I'm 29."

"Very good," mumbled the guard, writing the answer on a piece of paper attached to a clipboard. He looked up at Navirra and then back down at the sheet to write more. "It looks like you have white hair. Is that your natural color?"

"Of course," said Navirra. "Does it look unnatural?"

"No, just faded," said the guard. "And your eyes, what color are they?" This time he didn't look up.

"I guess they are greenish blue," she said.

"I see," said the guard, still looking down at the paper. "And do you have any distinguishing features like a birthmark, piercing, or tattoo?"

Navirra was still searching the room, but also listening to the orc. "Uh, no. I have nothing like that. My navel was pierced when I was younger, but it healed closed a while ago when I stopped wearing jewelry."

The guard continued to scrawl on the form. "Do you have any allergies?"

"Yes, but I don't know what it is. I just had an allergic reaction once when I was hiking. I broke out in hives for a week, but then they cleared up. It's never happened again, so I assume it was a one-time occurrence."

"I see. Maybe we will get you tested then," said the guard. "Next question. Have you ever had any kinds of major medical operations?"

Navirra then saw something that bothered her. At a table across the room there were two little Draenei girls being questioned by a guard. They looked very yound and uncomfortable.

Navirra's guard repeated the question. "Have you ever had an operation Miss Sanali?"

Navirra had blocked out his voice. She was now absorbed into what was going on at the other table. She didn't like seeing children here. This whole process was creepy and overwhelming. Navirra knew that the twin girls were probably scared and she wanted to comfort them.

Navirra's guard slammed his hand down on the table trying to get her attention. "Hey, Miss Sanali," he spoke loudly. "I asked you a question."

Navirra turned to him, not really looking at him, and then rose from her chair. The guard saw her rising and got up out of his own chair. He reached out to grab Navirra's arm, but missed as she took a step towards the left, passing behind Jemiini's table. Jemiini stopped her interview and watched Navirra walking across the room with her guard in pursuit.

"Miss Sanali," he called after her, maneuvering around the other table. "Please return to your seat. We are not finished yet."

Navirra continued to ignore him and made her way across the room to the table with the twins. When she got there she overheard their guard asking them if they had started menstruating yet. The little girls were clearly shaken up and Navirra noticed that they had been crying. When their guard saw Navirra approaching he rose from his chair and turned his attention on her. "Hey, what's going on here?" he yelled. "This is a private interview."

"It doesn't look very private," said Navirra, gesturing at all of the people around the room. "What kind of operation is this anyway? Come with me girls." Navirra extended a hand to the twin which was closest to her.

Navirra's guard caught up with her and attempted to restrain her. The other guard scooted around the table and helped his colleague. "What's the big idea? You can't just walk away in the middle of our conversation," he said to her as he cinched a rope around her wrists.

"You call that a conversation?" Navirra struggled to free herself. "You orcs are sick. Why are you asking us these ridiculous questions anyway? All of you sit here in this cold, unwelcoming room, hiding behind your stupid security badges while you coerce private information from us. What are they paying you for this? Is it worth your dignity?"

"Shut up bitch," the guard from the twin's table said. He struck Navirra with the back of his hand, slightly splitting her upper lip. "Get back to your table. Quit making a scene like you're some kind of saint who cares about what happens to these girls."

Navirra's guard hauled her back to his table and pushed her down in the chair. "No more funny business or I'll bind your feet as well, do you hear me?"

"Whatever," Navirra sneered. "You'll pay for this someday."

"I'm sure we will," the guard said with a laugh. "Now close your mouth unless I ask you something first." He walked around behind the table and sat back down, picking up his clipboard to find where he had left off. "Ah, here we are. Have you ever had a medical operation for any reason?"

Navirra looked at him with a cold stare, refusing to answer. He scowled back and began tapping his quill on the table. Navirra rolled her eyes and looked away. The guard grumbled and slammed his hand on the table again. Navirra turned, smiled seductively, and then licked the blood from her busted lip, smearing it on her teeth.

"I'm warning you," the guard growled. "You better quit messing around or I'll have you thrown out of here. Would you like to be dumped out with the trash because I can have that arranged for you?"

"No, I've never had any surgeries," Navirra said plainly. "Is that sufficient enough for you or would you like me to strip and show you my lack of scars?"

"That's it!" said the guard. "I'm done dealing with your insubordination. You can spend some time in solitary until you learn some manners." He moved around behind her, grabbed her hair, and yanked her up off her chair.

The guard was about to start dragging her away, but was intercepted and knocked to the ground, losing his grip on Navirra. He had neard the thundering hooves hitting the ground and felt the rush of wind as the Draenei male flew across the room at him, but was too slow to react in time. Khaiss moved with the grace and accuracy of an Alpha Talbuk, zigzagging around the tables to intervene. When he collided with the guard that was abusing his sister, he was at his top speed, an ability he had perfected in warrior training.

The other guards watched as Khaiss overpowered their peer, bludgeoning the orc with his giant fists. They all jumped up from their seats and charged at the Draenei. Jemiini and some of the others saw what was about to happen and got in the way of the enraged orcs. They all began fighting, the orcs with their clubs and the Draenei with just their hands and any other object they could find to improvise as a weapon.

Navirra still had bound hands and didn't want to become a helpless victim. She also wanted to stay and assist her brother, but he was holding his ground with a weapon he had disarmed from an orc. She didn't waste any more time looking back and ducked down, scanning the room for an exit. She started running away from the commotion and back towards the lift she had arrived on. She wasn't sure what she was going to do when she got there, but she was sick of being everyone's prisoner. She stopped at the corner of the main room and cautiously poked her head around to get a look down the corridor. It appeared empty and much safer than the processing area behind her that was in complete chaos now. There were guards and prisoners running around in all directions. It seemed that the captives had started a successful riot for the time being.

Then she heard some gunshots. More orcs poured into the room from the far side, these ones armed with rifles. They started firing on the fleeing prisoners in an attempt to cease the rioting. Navirra saw one man she didn't know fall from a bullet wound in his leg. This was all it took to get her moving again. She bolted into the hallway with her head down, staying close to the outer wall. A few other Draenei followed her. There were at least three that she could see in her peripheral vision, but she didn't stop to get an accurate count. She just kept moving towards the lift and was almost there when a stray bullet bounced off of the door just as she was about to yank it open. She shook her wrist out of habit and wiggled her fingers, making sure that she hadn't been hit. She realized that what she had felt was the metal door vibrating against her skin. She took a recomposing breath and pulled the door outward.

She heard one of the others cry out in pain as he fell dead at her heels. She was again inside of a nightmare. She wasn't sure if she would make it out of this place alive. Most of the other prisoners were being gunned down, their blood splattering onto her clothes. She stopped for a brief moment, staring at the amount of fresh blood that now soiled her clothes. It was sickening. She looked back down the hall and could only hope and pray that the lift would work and take her somewhere far away from this bloodbath.

At that moment she was grabbed by a pair of tiny hands. She turned to see Tiffee, the goblin, behind her and she looked scared. This frightened Navirra to see such a young girl with such a hopeless look on her face. Tiffee was sweating profusely and her cheeks were flush with red splotches.

"This way," she said, pulling Navirra away from the lift and into a dark hallway that branched off to the side. She continued to lead Navirra further away from the screams so Navirra didn't resist. She could see that the goblin was limping, but Tiffee continued to move at a good pace anyway.

They reached the end of the hall and went through a door that exited into a massive garage full of wagons, steam engines, and various other vehicles. It was the Blackwall fleet. Tiffee stopped just inside the doorway for a second to grab a set of keys from the hook board that was nailed to the wall. "This is our ticket out of here," she said. "Go quickly." She pushed Navirra towards a Kazan-style trike.

Navirra jumped in the sidecar as Tiffee got behind the wheel. She buckled her seatbelt and waited for the goblin to start driving. Tiffee was really struggling to get the keys into the ignition and almost dropped them twice. Navirra looked down and could see that she was holding her side and there was a lot of blood coming from under her tunic. "You've been shot," Navirra said, pointing at the wound.

"I know," Tiffee said through labored breaths. "We'll worry about that later." She finally got the keys in, put the cycle in reverse, and stomped down on the gas pedal. The vehicle screeched backwards. Tiffee slammed it into drive and peeled out, speeding towards the bay doors at the top of the ramp that led outside of the facility.

Navirra braced herself as the trike smashed through the thin metal, ripping the door from the building. The cycle bumped up and rolled over the debris sending sparks out from underneath. They were finally outside and Navirra's heart slowed a little as she watched the facility get smaller behind them. Tiffee continued to drive away from the central building into the open grasslands with Navirra breathing heavily in the seat next to her.

CHAPTER FORTY THREE

Tiffee was breathing slower now and every few breaths she would wince. Navirra sat silently in her seat. She didn't know what to say and talking seemed to cause the goblin even more pain. She avoided eye contact and looked the opposite way. The sun had already gone down. It was dark and quiet outside, but Navirra had no intention of resting. Her mind was racing, trying to make sense of what had happened back at the facility. And what would happen now?

After about 20 minutes of driving the trike began to slow. Navirra felt a bump and then the road became rougher. She looked over at Tiffee and her countenance was awful. She was hunched over the steering wheel and the blood from her side wound was now all over her feet, running onto the seat. "Are you okay?" Navirra asked.

Tiffee coughed into her palm. The sound was very wet and heavy. When she pulled her hand away from her mouth it was covered in blood. "I'm not doing so good," she mumbled.

"Maybe I should drive," Navirra offered.

Tiffee's eyes rolled back in her head and she slumped forward. The trike's horn went off as her full weight pressed on the wheel. The vehicle was no longer in her control. Navirra tried to grab the steering wheel to stabilize it, but she couldn't steady it with her seatbelt on and she wasn't about to unbuckle it under these conditions. Luckily the prairie was free of bad obstacles, at least in this place.

Tiffee was unconscious now, possibly dead and her foot was still on the gas. Navirra maneuvered in her seat and kicked at Tiffee's right leg. After a second thrust, she managed to move the foot from the pedal. The trike still had momentum, so it continued to creep along, but its speed was dropping fast. Navirra now felt safe enough to unbuckle, so she did. She leaned over Tiffee and tried to shake her as the trike rolled to a stop. Th goblin didn't respond.

Navirra sighed deeply and sat back in her chair. She felt really tired all of a sudden. She assumed that it was mental stress, but either way, she wanted to sleep. However, she needed to check on Tiffee again. She reached over and put her fingers on Tiffee's neck. There was a very weak pulse. She moved her hand to her own neck to get a baseline. Her own was a little fast, but still more healthy feeling than the other girl's.

When Tiffee felt the fingers on her neck her eyes opened slightly. She tried to smile, but Navirra could tell that she was in great pain. Regardless, Tiffee still lifted her hand and managed to form her fingers into a pointing gesture. Navirra followed her index finger and saw that Tiffee was pointing at the Paladin Crest that hung on a chain around her neck.

"Find your weapon," she muttered. "Use the Light. Be as one."

"Huh?" Navirra wasn't sure what the girl was talking about.

"Be as one," Tiffee repeated. She tapped her finger on the jewelry again. "The Light will guide you. Seek Retribution."

Then Tiffee slumped forward again. This time Navirra knew that she was dead. She sat back and put her feet up on the dashboard of the sidecar. She felt weird sitting next to a dead body, even one who had saved her life. But she was also dreading the horrible conditions of the unknown around her, thus she wasn't able to make up her mind about where to go. She tried to block out the fear and finally managed to do so by thinking about Taam and Ashe. What were they doing right now at this moment, she wondered. Had they been captured too? Were they out searching for her? The last time she had seen Taam was in the caravan and she hadn't seen Ashe since she had left him at his sister's memorial. She knew that they had tracked her down a few times before and this brought a little warmth to her heart. Maybe it was a good sign. Maybe she would be reunited with them someday soon and they could bring her back to her grandfather. Maybe she'd finally be able to tell them how sorry she was for not thanking them for saving her life before and how she regretted not trusting them from the beginning. Or how she was smitten by their good looks and boyish charm. Would they believe it anyway? Would she sound crazy for expressing her feelings after such a short period of knowing them? She didn't know.

CHAPTER FORTY FOUR

Navirra looked out into the wide open prairie of Mulgore. The moonlight illuminated everything, making it almost appear as day time. It was beautiful. Navirra let out another deep breath and smiled. She decided to stay on the trike for the time being. She closed her eyes and her thoughts returned to Taam and Ashe. She hadn't spent much time with either of them, but what little she had experienced, she had enjoyed. Taam was very protective and made her feel secure. His quick thinking and natural affinity for magic made him a great companion to have. Ashe was still young, but the patriarch of his family. He had learned to adapt to almost any situation and his lifesaving instincts were a debt that she had hoped to repay someday. She longed to be back with both of them.

She drifted to sleep. Dreams came and went as she snoozed. When she finally awoke a few hours later she was expecting the sun to blind her. But when her eyes opened she saw that it was still night. There were some small clouds, but mostly stars in the sky. The prairie sand still looked white in the moonlight.

"Time to go Navirra," she said to herself, sitting up. You're on your own now. You don't even get any water or fire to help you survive. She let out a fake laugh. It's just me and the clothes on my back. I better find some more permanent shelter because I won't last long out here without supplies.

She pulled the latch on the door and stepped out of the sidecar. The air was cooler now, but still bearable. She looked around to decide which way she wanted to go. There was no road, just open prairie in all directions. Navirra again felt very alone. She couldn't even see the central processing facility or the wall. She had no idea what direction was which, so she just started walking in the opposite direction that they had come from.

Eventually the landscape started rising up forming little hills and the vegetation got more plentiful and thick. The sagebrush turned into flowering bushes and other large types of ground foliage. Eventually Navirra started to see sparse clusters of ash and spruce trees, which would provide her with shade when the sun came up. She looked behind her to see when that would be and there was a faint glow near the horizon where the first rays of morning light were breaking forth.

She continued to walk, not breaking her stride, knowing that it was going to get hot soon. She could already feel the air warming. It was heavy and humid like a wet blanket. She ascended a small hill and was met at the top by a battered, wooden fence. It was in disrepair, but still standing. What is this? she questioned herself. She moved along the fence, staying on the outside, even though there were places where it had fallen inward that she could have used to go through. In time she came across a sign that had been fastened to the fence with wire. She brushed the dirt from the surface and read it. THUNDER BLUFF.

Navirra tried to think about what Ashe had told her about towns that existed in this part of Kalimdor before the wall went up, so she could pinpoint where she was. After a few seconds of brainstorming she remembered that there had been a great city built on the tops of some thin mesas, but it had been abandoned when the native race of Mulgore was driven out by the orcs.

She continued to walk along the fence for a while and then she thought of something. Maybe there were supplies inside the abandoned buildings of this city. There would at least be shelter from the elements. She decided to go and investigate. There was a break in the fence about a stone's throw away, so she hiked over to it and carefully scaled the broken planks.

Once inside she moved up the embankment to get a better view. At the top she found a delapitated lift that took her up to the top of the first mesa. A series of abandoned rope bridges crisscrossed between each bluff and she made her way across them towards the highest rise.

The scorched earth was hot. Navirra could see the heat ripples floating lazily just above the dirt as the sun rose higher. She decided that it would be better to walk in the grass instead of directly across the sand. She was about to start her hike towards the flight tower when someone spoke behind her. She wheeled around, preparing to be attacked by orc guards. Instead, she came face to face with an beautiful Tauren mare with thick, black fur and a feathered headress.

"Good morning," the newcomer said, tipping her head. "I wouldn't go wandering around up there if I were you." She was standing at the bottom of a small slope.

Navirra debated on whether to turn and run or not. She looked at the cow, saw that she didn't appear to be a threat, and decided to take her advice. She scooted down the embankment and joined the Tauren.

"What's your name sweet one?" the Tauren asked. "I am Linaya Ashenhammer."

Navirra stared at the woman for a moment, taking in everything about her. She was youthful yet important looking. The oversized ceremonial clothes she was wearing made her look silly as if they had belonged to another. But she was pretty and had a certain light in her countenance.

"Don't be afraid," Linaya said, seeing that Navirra wasn't responding. "I'll leave you be if you want me to. I was just surprised to see someone out here. Not many people around these parts anymore, especially outsiders."

Navirra watched the Tauren's eyes, knowing that they were the windows to one's soul. This cow's were yellow and bloodshot, but genuinely caring. "Where are we?" Navirra asked.

"This is the Spirit Rise of Thunder Bluff and that up there is all that remains of the wyvern roost. This used to be a great city back in the days before the wall. Now it's just this barren wasteland as you can see."

"How do you know all of this?"

"Well young lady, I've lived around this valley my whole life." She removed her feathers to wipe some sweat from her brow. She had very fine, white braids between her polished horns. "Yes ma'am. I was born and raised here and Earthmother willing, I'll be able to restore this place to its former glory."

"Um," Navirra hesitated. She wasn't sure if asking her next questions was stupid or just unnecessary. "How is that possible? Look at this city. It has been completey ruined. And aren't you alone? How can one person fight such a formidable opponent? The orcs are not going to just give up on their stupid project here."

Linaya laughed. "I'm not alone sweet girl. I am here with my Chieftan. He is inside the mountain here seeking the aid of the Light. Maybe you should go to the pools as well. You might find what you are looking for."

"But I'm not looking for anything." Navirra wasn't sure what to make of the Tauren's statement. "And I thought all of your people were banished from here. You do realize where we are right? I may have escaped from the prison facility, but I'm still trapped inside the wall, same as you."

"It depends on your attitude," Linaya said bluntly. "The way I see it, I'm as free today as I ever was before."

"What are you getting at?" Navirra asked, trying to clarify. "Do you know a way out of here?"

"There is always a way for those who seek the wisdom of the Light. Go inside. Find what you are looking for."

"What am I supposed to do in there?" Navirra already knew the answer, but she didn't want to believe it.

"Whatever your heart and mind tell you I imagine," said Navirra. "Let the Light be your guide and maybe you too will find a way to redeem your people."

Navirra strolled past Linaya and walked towards the cave entrance that would take her under the Spirit Rise to a sacred place where those who sought answers would find what they were looking for. As she descende into the chamber of pools she noticed the Tauren Chieftan that Linaya had mentioned. He was on his knees with his hands in the water. She watched as he scooped a bounteous handful into his large hands before bringing it up to splash on his face. He repeated this two more times and then bent his head in prayer.

Navirra did not want to disturb him, so she moved along the outter wall to the far side of the chamber. There she sat down on a rock and looked into the water. It was a deep blue, almost sapphire. But it was clear, not murky or shadowed. Navirra removed the necklace from her shirt and held the Paladin crest up in front of her. She closed her eyes and began to speak from her heart. I know that I am just one person. I know that I am young and scared.I am not a leader. I am not experienced or trained. But I am humble. I am at your mercy. I am ready to do whatever I can to help my people. Please, hear my pleadings.

Navirra opened her eyes and looked at the necklace. At first nothing happened, but just as she was about to bow her head in prayer again the crest caught the light from the rippling pool and it gleamed. At that same moment, nearly a world away, her shield moved. It was buried under a pile of rubble where her pod home had once stood. It burst out of the debris as if it had been yanked free by a herd of horses. It rocketed up into the sky and disappeared from sight.

Navirra stood up from the rock and brought the Paladin crest closer to her view. It still shone brightly in the dim cave chamber like a beacon. Navirra didn't understand what was happening, but the Light had definitely heard her cries. She continued to stare at the piece of jewelry expecting it to give her a more clear answer. Maybe a vision would open up to her or she would hear a voice. It was not so. But she did hear something. At first it just sounded like the wind growing stronger. Perhaps a storm was on the horizon. Navirra replaced the necklace around her neck and quietly crept back outside to see what the noise was. As she stepped from the mouth of the cave her shield dropped from the sky and crashed into the dirt in front of her.

This was her answer. This is what the Light wanted her to use to save her people.

CHAPTER FORTY FIVE

Navirra recovered the shield from the ground and latched it onto her back. She gave a smile and a nod to Linaya who was still waiting for her Chieftan. The cow was now grining from ear to ear. "Did I not promise you that the Light would show you what you seeked?"

"You are very wise," Navirra answered.

"That is why my Chieftan trusts me above all others," she said.

"It is definitely not for your humility," said Cairne as he stepped out of the shadows into the sunlight. He turned to Navirra and extended his hand in a welcoming gesture.

Navirrafelt slightly uncomfortable and nervous being in the presence of yet another great leader. She had grown up close to her grandfather who was the Prophet of the Draenei people, so she was not new to certain courtesies, but it seemed that she had been crossing paths with a lot of powerful people as of late. First had been the Night Elf Priestess, then the orc Warchief, and now the High Chietan of the Tauren. She began to drop to one knee as a sign of respect, but the old bull grabbed her with a gentle hand and pulled her up.

"I am honored by your gesture young one," he said. His voice was deep and soothing. "But it is uneccessary. You are a guest here. It is us who should be bowing to you."

"Thank you," she said, still feeling a little unknowledgable about the strange culture of these nomadic beasts.

"What brings you to our bluffs?" he asked.

Linaya stepped closer. "She came seeking answers to her plight. And I believe that she has found what needed."

"Oh?" Cairne tilted his massive head to the side. "Is that so? And what answers did you find in our sacred pools, if you don't mind me asking?"

Navirra did a half turn, exposing the shield on her back. "This," she said, poking her thumb over her shoulder.

"Ah, a worthy weapon that is. The Light is gracious. I hope that this will solve your problems young one. If only I too had been granted such a fine object, then maybe I could avenge my people as well. But the Light has a different plan for me."

Navirra felt a stab of pity. Here she was, with the means of delivering her people and these Tauren were still suffering. She wanted to help them, but she was still unsure of exactly how she was going to help her own friends and family. "Is there anything I can do to help?" she asked.

Cairne smiled. It made his face look even bigger as it puffed out his cheeks. "Another noble gesture," he said, laughing. "There is something you can do for me. The sacred pools gave me answers as well." He turned to his advisor. "Linaya, prepare the windriders to leave. We have much to accomplish."

Navirra stepped towards the Chieftan and placed a hand on his broad shoulder. "I will assist you in any way that I am able. What can I do to help?"

"You are close to the Light, closer than anyone I have ever known. I can feel it radiating from you. I can sense great power within you. You will be the beacon for my people to follow. You will be the weapon I seek."

Navirra swallowed a hard lump in her throat. She did not feel like a beacon of light for anyone. She didn't even feel like she had mastered what little she had learned of the Paladin order so far. "Um, I'm not sure if you know what you're talking about," she said.

"That is where you are wrong child," Cairne said. "The Light showed me. You may not realize it yet, but you will bring salvation to both of our people. The orcs are a formidable foe, that is certain. They have great pride, great tactics, and great strength. But they also act rashly, often times without thinking fully through their actions. They lack the guidance of the Light. But we are in tune with its sacred whisperings. We have a reason to fight, for the preservation of our cultures and our very lives."

"You certainly know how to properly flatter someone," Navirra blushed.

"Will you come with us?" Cairne extended his hand. "Will you teach my people how to wield the Light as you do? Will you bring us all home so that we can restore this great city to its original glory?"

Navirra paused for a second, took a deep breath, and then placed her hand in his.

CHAPTER FORTY SIX

Tagar snuffed out the flaming torch on the wall and leaned back in his chair to take a rest. One of his Bonechewer guards was sitting next to him in the watch tower, with a book about metalsmithing in his lap. He was no longer perusing through the pages, but gazing out the small window through a pair of binoculars. There were other watch towers like this. They lined the wall of Blackwall, each with guards on shift.

The Warden didn't feel very safe in this tower, no matter how many times the Warchief tried to reassure him. It was something about the darkness of the place. Even with all of the torches lit there were still places in each room that remained shadowy. It gave him the chills. And thinking about the old, spiral staircase below them that was covered in cobwebs and lichen, which led to a door with multiple sets of iron locks made him feel like he was in some kind of a torure dungeon.

Despite all of this, Tagar often ventured into one of the towers when he couldn't sleep. He was the Warden and had much more important things to occupy his time with, but he also enjoyed being out with his men. It made his feel secure and comfortable when he was around his clan members. He was new to this strange land and it made his uneasy at times. He often yearned for his old stomping grounds back on Draenor. But he enjoyed the pay and the power that came with his position, so he fulfilled his duties and bided his time for when he could once again return home. He assumed that Warchief Blackhand would eventually give up on this silly venture and Blackwall would fade away, allowing the Bonechewers the opportunity to leave Azeroth.

The guard next to him put down his binoculars and grunted. "Quiet night," he said. "I don't see the reason why we gotta be up here. It's not like anyone can breach this wall. Waste of our time if you ask me boss."

He got up and meandered over to the other side of the room where he flopped down and sprawled out on a couch. Within moments he was half dozing. His pierced nose made his snoring sound more like wheezing. Other than the sound of his heavy breaths and the slight squeaking noise that the rats made, the tower was quiet.

Tagardid not respond to the guard. He agreed that their watch was pointless, but he also had a reputation to uphold. He leaned forward and sooped up the binoculars. He started scanning the horizon, not really looking for anything or expecting to see something of importance. Occasionally, he would spot movement, but it was usually just a bird or a bouncing tumbleweed. He lowered the binoculars, resting them on top of his thigh. Deciding that there was nothing better to do, he picked up the guard's book and began flipping through its pages, admiring the pictures inside.

Then there was another sound. It came on suddenly and powerfully, nearly knocking him out of his chair, he was so startled. It was a deafening blast from some type of warhorn. Had there been glass covering the small opening in the tower, it would've been shattered as the thunderous roar echoed into the room. The blast was repeated a second time and then came the light, so bright that it pierced the darkness, dissipating all shadow.

Tagar struggled to get up from his chair, but stumbled over his own feet as the light from the window blinded his eyes. He let out a yelp, rousing the other guard from his nap. He too attempted to rise up, but was disoriented by the penetrating light. Both orcs searched in vain for their weapons. At first they saw only red spots where their retinas had been fried. But eventually those faded, as did the source of the light and Tagar was able to find his way over to the window to peek out. What he saw first frightened him, then enfuriated him. His blood began to boil and he let out a shrieking war cry. "To Arms!" he yelled. "For the Horde!"

The zeppelin, one of many now assaulting the wall, hovered just outside the tower where Tagar was clambering around blindly. The goblin captain driving the airship cut the engines and coasted the blimp within a few feet of the building. Tauren warriors dropped ropes from both sides and immediately began descending, their speed unmatched only by their determination. They landed sure-footed on the roof and positioned themselves to war stomp in unison. The power of their united hooves instantly broke through the wooden supports, sending them through the roof and into the room where the surprised orcs were still trying to gather their wits and weapons.

Tagar scooped up an axe and turned to rush the intruders. He was met by Cairne, wielding his ancestral runespear. The orc Warden lifted his weapon with both hands and charged. Cairne planted his feet and prepared for the collision. As the axe came down, the rune spear went up. The two weapons smashed together with great force, but their wielders held on tight, neither giving in. Tagar attempted to kick the old bull away, but Cairne shifted sideways causing the orc's foot to hit nothing but air. Cairne whirled around and swept his weapon under Tagar's unbalanced foot, knocking him to the ground. Now he had the orc right where he wanted him. He pulled back and then jabbed the rune spear into the orc's unguarded back as Tagar was pushing himself up from the ground. The bone blade at the end of the spear bit deep into the red flesh, blood spurting out around it on all sides.

Tagar yelped in surprise and pain. He tried to still rise and fight, but Cairne pushed the spear in further until it pierced something vital. The orc attempted to say something, but he was dead before he could utter another sound. He fell forward, the runed weapon sliding out of his body. Cairne used his hoof to turn Tagar over and after confirming that the orc was deceased he wheeled on his feet to engage more foes.

The battles in each tower were short-lived, just as the Chieftan's had been. The orcs fought well, but their savagery was no match for the motivated Tauren who fought for more than just the preservation of their lives. Once the towers had fallen it was easy to unload the rest of the Tauren onto the ground inside Blackwall. Before long, they had overtaken the wall and with the successful rioting at the central processing building, the Draenei and Tuaren had taken control of entire orc facility.

CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN

Warchief Blackhand finished eating a blueberry scone and washed it down with some strong ale. He was sitting at a large table in the Blackwall kitchen, tracing his finger along the pattern of the tablecloth when Zalinne and Kirandor busted into the room. She was sweating and he was breathing rapidly. They came running into the nook, nearly colliding with Blackhand's chair. He scooted in to avoid being run over by his advisors.

"What in blazes is going on with you two?" he bellowed. "Can't you see I'm trying to enjoy a meal here?"

"The prisoners are rioting. The guards are attempting to disperse them, but the Draenei are fighting back. We must get out of here. There is a group of them headed this way."

Blackhand looked at her with fear in her eyes. "Who? Who is foolish enough to face me?"

"A large group of them. They have taken up the weapons of our fallen soldiers and loosed their mages from the arcane cells," Kirandor said.

"Hmm. Maybe we should leave then. Let us make haste. Is there a clear path to the wyvern roost or should we head for the fleet garage?" The Warchief was now standing and starting to sweat almost as much as the two elves who had just sprinted to the kitchen.

"It may already be too late to run," Kirandor added. "Do you have a mage in the facility that can port us back to the Capital?"

"Yes. I have an alchemist, but he is in the apothecary on the other side of the facility," said Blackhand. "We will have to take up arms and fight our way to him. Be on your guard. We need to be ready for anything."

Blackhand and the elves crept out of the kitchen to the armory that was just down the hall. The pathway was clear for now. Once inside, Zalinne grabbed a pair of glaives to add to the daggers she already had strapped to her thighs. Kirandor pulled some bladed fist weapons onto each hand and the Warchief equipped a giant mace and shield combination.

The troll mage was startled from his slumber, when the three refugees snuck into his chambers. He sat up from his chair, looking around in confusion, trying to piece together the words that were being thrown around the room by hiw Warchief. He shook his head and hoisted himself to a wobbly standing position. "What seems to be the problem Warchief?" he whispered, gliding across the floor to his master's side.

"We have an emergency. The prisoners have taken the upper levels. We must escape to the Capital. Make us a portal with haste."

The mage gave Blackhand a look that said he thought the orc was being irrational. But he did as he was told anyway, immediately conjuring a portal in front of them with a wave of his three-fingered hand. He sat down to restore his energy by eating a cake and watched as the Warchief and two elves vanished from sight as they stepped into the swirling air. The mage was left alone in the room to go and figure out what was happening in the facility. He should've left with the others instead of letting his curiosity get the best of him.

Taam and the other Draenei with him left the main processing room and headed for the apothecary. They ran past the garage where Navirra had exited and descended a flight of stairs to the main door. Taam could hear voices coming from inside the room and recognized one of them as the elf female that had led the assault on Azuremyst. He tried to remain calm, but sweat was starting to form at his hairline. Taking a few deep breaths helped a little, but he still felt uncomfortable. He waited, listening to the voices and the sound of footsteps growing closer. So far, so good. He took a step back and raised his arms, little flames starting to dance across his palms as he prepared a spell.

As the troll stepped through the door into the hallway to observe the rioting he was hit in the chest by a fireball that rocketed from Taam's outstretched hands. His green skin ignited and instantly sizzled into nonesistence. He screamed in agony as the flames cooked him to death.

The Draenei waited for the other mage to drop and then rushed over his smoldering corpse into the apothecary just as the Warchief's portal was closing itself. They were too late to capture the leader of the Horde and his advisors, but at least they had taken the facility.

CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT

Then the room got a little darker from the shadow cast by the giant who ducked down and stepped through the archway into the throneroom. "My queen," he muttered in his deep, guttural voice. "The Night Elf Priestess was nowhere to be found in Darnassus. We searched under every stone. She must've escaped using magic or she was never there to begin with."

Azshara leaned forward in her throne. She did not speak. She just stared at the giant, almost looking right through him. Her anger was clearly present. Her long, tapered eyebrows dropped into a wrinkled V above her unmoving white eyes. She let out an extended breath and then rose from her seat. She waved her hand at her generals who were standing guard and then slithered out of the room to hold a council with them.

Lady Vashj, the queen's most trusted friend and advisor, led the other generals out of the throneroom and into a council chamber where Azshara was pacing around a table in the center of the room. "Should we be seated?" Vashj asked in a humble tone.

"No, you will stand when you speak with me!" Azshara hissed.

Vashj bowed respectfully and slithered back against the wall with the other Naga, waiting for her queen to unleash her anger upon them. Azhara continued to slither around the room, the snakes in her hair swirling lazily in the water above her head. "How could we not find her?" the Queen asked hypothetically. "We are an entire army. She is but one. One!"

"Mistress, If I may speak," one of the generals said, moving forward slightly.

Azshara glared at him, but also dropped her tense shoulders out of a defensive position to show that she welcomed any advice that he could give. "What can you say that will make this better general? Please, elighten your queen."

"Maybe this is a good sign. If the Priestess is using magic then maybe their views have changed over the years. They will not judge us any more. Instead of fighting them, we can join them. We can be one race again, elves united in the powers of the Well."

The Queen didn't respond verbally. She simply lifted her arm and opened her hand. Arcane missiles formed between her fingers and shot through the water, striking the outspoken Naga in the chest. He crumbled silently to the floor.

"Any other comments?" Azshara asked.

None of the other generals dared to speak. They stood in silence hoping that their queen would dismiss them, so they could leave and get back to planning the slaughter of more of their former kin. Lady Vashj was not frightened. She had grown up with Azshara. She had seen her queen at her best and worst. This was only a minor expression of anger and frustration.

"My Queen," Vashj began. "I agree that it is very unfortunate that the Priestess escaped our grasp. I also fully support your actions against this filth," she said, pointing at the dead Naga. "But all is not lost. We obliterated practically all of the traitorous Night Elves in our onslaught. What few survivors remain will have no morale or hope. They are broken and leaderless now. Their precious Priestess has abandoned them when they needed her most."

"Continue," said Azshara. She was enjoying the way that the conversation was going now.

"As you wish." Lady Vashj smiled evily and slithered to her queen's side. She placed a gentle hand around her and embraced her, leading her over to the table. "Sit please."

Azshara was hesitant, but accepted and took a seat.

"I will lead the rest of the battles myself," Vashj continued. "I will take our best warriors and assault every last Night Elf settlement on Kalimdor. I will find the Priestess, kill her, and wipe the rest of them off the face of this world for good. The old gods will guide me. I will not fail you."

"I am impressed by your initiative and greatful for your enthusiasm dear Lady, but I will be commanding the Naga from this point forward. My presence on the battlefield will inspire the troops and I want to see the look on Amara's face when we find her and end her life."

"As you wish my queen," lady Vashj said meekly. "Where should we start?"

"The old gods will tell us."

CHAPTER FORTY NINE

Orgrim clutched the famed Doomhammer in his right fist. He was standing in the Capital throne room staring at the wall. Urukal was next to him, dressed in full plate armor and wielding her own deadly mace. It was a short club with a spike-covered ball at the end. She had lifted it over her right shoulder with both hands and was resting it there, waiting to swing it at a moment's notice. That moment had finally come.

The air in front of the wall began to ripple and shimmer. The distortion continued until the wall behind was swirling. The portal opened up and Blackhand stepped through with the two Blood Elves behind him. The Warchief was looking over his shoulder into the Apothecary as he moved into the portal. He was only concerned with the approaching Draenei and didn't think that his safety would be jeopardized on the other side.

As his body fully emerged through the magic gateway he was nearly knocked back into the portal as the Doomhammer smashed into his unprotected chest, shattering every bone it struck. He crumbled to the floor, clutching his hands over battered torso.

Kirandor was next to walk into the ambush. He tripped over the fallen orc and as he stumbled, his face was ripped open from his blonde scalp to his pointy chin as Urukal brought her club down upon him. Blood from the elf's destroyed face splattered on the Warchief as Kirandor continued to fall. He was dead before he hit the ground.

Zalinne was the last one to step into the portal from Blackwall and she saw her brother and lover being slaughtered. She was stunned at the sight, but still managed to vanish before Orgrim could wind up for another crushing blow. The doomhammer whipped through the air, striking nothing as she disappeared. Zalinne slipped through the shadows and leapt back into the portal just as it was closing. She jumped into the kitchen back at Blackwall and halted, still invisible. The troll mage was screaming in agony and stumbling around the room as his body burned.

The Draenei prisoners watched the mage until he stopped moving. The largest one used his boot to check the corpse and then they all moved around the apothecary making sure that it was empty. They found no other living things in the room and left, most likely to regroup with the rest of their rioting kin. Zalinne waited until they were out of sight and then crept away towards the nearest exit from the facility.

Back in the Capital Blackhand was lying on the floor, still cradling his arms against his chest. His wife stepped towards him and cast her shadow over his body. "How does it feel to have your heart broken?" she asked.

The Warchief tilted his head so that he could look her in the eyes. His body hurt to much to offer a response to her question so he just scowled. Urukal wanted to smile or laugh in his face, but she too was hurting inside. Her pain was not physical, but it was nearly as hard for her to breathe. Tears welled up in her eyes and she stifled back a cry. She had been betrayed by the man she loved. She had been tossed aside so that her husband could spend his time with an elf whore. It hurt. It hurt badly. It was time for her to end the pain.

"You deserve a worse fate than death Blackhand," she began. "I would love to let your suffering continue, to watch you die slowly, so that you could see how terrible your betrayal has been. But that would not heal my heart. That would only make me as bad as you."

Blackhand coughed up some blood and finally managed to speak. "Quit your babbling woman. If you're going to kill me then do it." He spat some more blood out onto the floor, trying to get it on her boots. "Or are you too weak?"

Urukal closed her eyes and a tear rolled down her brown cheek, disappeariong under the neck of her platemail. She sniffed and took a couple of deep breaths, trying to steady her nerves so that she could finally end her suffering. When she opened her eyes to ready her weapon, she looked into Blackhand's own eyes and saw tears. Was he crying? Was he having a change of heart? Did he actually regret what he had done? Urukal began to pity him and she wavered a little. The club she was holding fell from her loose grip and clanged on the floor.

Orgrim was watching the confrontation between the wounded Warchief and his scorned wife. He started to fear that the orc woman would not be able to follow through with the plan that they had devised together. He could not let that happen. Blackhand deserved to die for betraying them. He had burned too many bridges and hurt too many people since he had taken the mantle of Warchief. He had to pay for his sins and if his wife wouldn't do it, then Orgrim would have to take matters into his own hands.

Urukal dropped to her knees and was going to move closer to her husband, but Orgrim stuck out his hand to block her. "Stand back," he growled. "His tears are not for you. He is a traitor."

Urukal was awestruck. She was so confused with emotion that she couldn't think clearly. "No! You step back. He can change. He can atone for his sins against us. We must give him the chance."

"It is too late for that. No amount of atonement is enough to cleanse his soul. He cheated on his wife, he neglected his children, he betrayed his most trusted advisor, he murdered innocents, and he has led this mighty Horde down corrupt paths that I only pray we can recover from. His rule ends tonight."

"Noooo!" Urukal screamed out as she flopped down onto her husband to protect his body with her own.

Orgrim grasped the Doomhammer with both hands and raised it high over his head. "For the Horde!" He brought the mighty weapon down in a wide arc killing both orcs with a single blow.

CHAPTER FIFTY

Whatever composure Priestess Amara had regained was lost when she spotted the monstrous lizard thundering towards the tower she was guarding. The monstrosity was huge, towering over the approaching orcs as it ascended the hill towards the wall. On its back, mounted in an armored saddle was another giant, this on a red-skinned orc with tusks almost as big as the thunder lizard's he rode. His muscles, bulging everywhere possible, stretched the thin leathers he was wearing to the point of almost tearing the supporting straps. His face was rough and broken, as if he had been pummeled in the gladiator pits one too many times. There were big scars on both of his cheeks and a few on his exposed forearms as well. The veins that circled his arms were as thick as Amara's fingers and they pulsed when the giant orc moved.

The lizard crested the hill and began throwing itself against the wall under the tower. It was trying to use its weight to breach a hole for its rider to use for entrance into Blackwall. It continued to crash against the bottom supports, but so far it didn't appear to be making any headway. The angered orc on its back yanked on the reigns causing the lizard to pull back its head.

The Priestess was watching from above and now she was staring straight down the beast's huge throat. The teeth and gums pulled apart and she could now see something brewing inside. After a few seconds there was a deafening roar and lightning erupted from the lizard's mouth. Amara jumped backwards as the bolt of electricity blasted the roof off of her tower. The force of the blast sent splintered wood beams into the air and then back down upon her.

More orcs riding thunder lizards came stampeding up to the towers. Bolts of lightning began spewing forth from their gaping maws, igniting the wood and crumbling the rocks on the wall. The fearfull Draenei and Tauren that occupied the towers held their ground, launching arrows and spells down upon the heads of their enemies. It was a brutal battle, death and destruction on both sides.

Navirra and Cairne were standing on an outstretched portion of rock above the main gate into Blackwall. They watched as their warriors and mages tried to keep the assaulting orcs at bay. They were saddened by the amount of lives that were being lost and they knew that they had to do something drastic to get the fighting to cease. They could not hold their defensive positions forever. Eventually the thunder lizards would break through and once that happened, they wouldn't stand a chance. They were too outnumbered since the losses they had suffered on Azuremyst.

Navirra needed to do something to break the orc's morale. She would have to take out their general. She began to search the battlefield for one that looked like it could be a leader. Most of the ranks encroaching upon the wall were not organized, so it was difficult to find any orc that seemed to be in command. Navirra continued to move her gaze across the crowds and then, almost completely hidden among the orcs, she saw what she had been searching for. Far in the back, beyond the lines of thunder lizards and clan archers was a large bird, one that looked very out of place. Mounted on its back was the Blood Elf that had caused the Draenei such heartache.

Navirra unstrapped her shield, gave an assuring nod to the Tauren Chieftan, and started running down the parapet towards the nearest tower. She was not looking in front of her as she ran, but at the ground on the outside of the wall. When she found a spot of vegetation that looked soft enough to break her fall, she hurdled over the barricade and landed in the foliage. She immediately sprang to her feet and dashed towards the closest thunder lizard.

The orc driver saw her coming out of the corner of his eye and pulled the beast until it was facing her. The animal began to open its mouth to blast her with its deadly energy, but Navirra was too quick. She launched the shield through the air and it struck the creature's mouth, shredding the scales all the way up to its eye on the right side. Lightning still rolled out, but the lizard was now shaking its head in pain. The bolts scattered in all directions, burning the orcs that were trying to scale the wall.

The shield returned to Navirra who caught it and rolled to the side, lifting it up to deflect the uncontrolled lightning. The orc driver dismounted from his injured animal and dashed at her with two axes raised in his hands. Navirra got to her feet, straffed to avoid the swinging axes, and slammed her shield into the orc's midsection. The orc stumbled back, but regained his footing and charged a second time.

He was bigger and stronger than the Draenei girl and easily overpowered her. He brought both weapons down with all his might and even though Navirra managed to block them, the force of the blow felt like it broke her arm through the metal of her shield. She kicked the orc back, rolled out from under him, and tossed the shield aside to quickly examine her arm. The orc saw her defensless and tossed an axe at her head. It flew through the air towards its target, but was blasted away by a gust of wind.

The orc's eyes widened and he turned to see Kriin standing to his left. "Leave my friend alone," she said, planting her hooves in the dirt and raising her hands.

The orc let out a warcry and rushed at Kriin with his remaining axe. She conjured another air spell and blasted it in the orc's direction. It slowed him down, but did not knock him off his feet. He shook off the wind, snarled, and continued his charge. By this time Kriin had already reached into her pocket to pull out a totem. She tossed the little trinket on the ground in front of the approaching orc and yelled an incantation. The totem sprang to life and summoned a giant earthen monster of pure stone. The creature lifted both of its massive rock arms and pummeled the orc into the dirt with one mighty blow. Kriin immediately commanded the elemental to attack the other thunder lizards in the vicinity and then ran to Navirra's aid.

Both girls placed their hands on Navirra's broken arm and cast a healing spell that instantly repaired the injury. Navirra thanked her friend and went to recover her shield as Kriin returned to the wall to defend it.

There was commotion all over the battlefield. The Tauren warriors were putting up a good fight against the orc soldiers that assaulted the wall and the Draenei mages were successfully countering the enemy archers. This allowed Navirra to slip mostly unnoticed through the ranks of orcs. A few orcs saw her, but she silenced them quickly by striking them down as she pressed on towards where Zalinne was inspiring her soldiers from the rear.

Apparently the elf had taken command of the Horde army when the Warchief and Warden had suddenly disappeared. Navirra did not care where they had gone. All she wanted was to scatter the remaining orcs by eliminating their current leader. She slammed into the last line of defense, a lone berserking troll. The soldier tried to cut her down with his spear, but Navirra deflected the weapon and called down a mystical hammer from the heavens upon the troll's head, killing him instantly.

Zalinne saw the flash of light as the ghostly weapon dropped out of the clouds. She turned her hawkstrider in the direction it had come from and locked her eyes on Navirra. She drew her glaives and kicked the bird to get it charging. As the mount ran, she lowered the shiny blades to her sides and wound up to prepare to throw them at her new target.

Navirra watched intently, waiting for the elf to launch her weapons, and prepared her shield to block. Sure enough, Zalinne tossed the glaives and they cut through the air in two wide arcs. Navirra raised her shield to counter the blade coming from the left and then conjured a magic bubble behind her to block the glaice on the right. Both weapons struck hard, but were deflected.

Zalinne growled in frustration and dismounted. She then unsheathed her poison daggers and went into stealth. She smiled when she saw the Draenei girl's eyes go wide and frightened. She crept through the darkness until she was only a few paces in front of Navirra. She then shadowstepped to put herself behind her target for a precision strike.

Navirra could no longer see her enemy, but she somehow felt the elf's presence. She quickly turned and stomped her foot on the ground. A burst of flame radiated out from her hoof in a circular wall as the ground around her became consecrated. The fire not only startled Zalinne and stopped her attack, but it burned the elf and caused her stealth to drop exposing her to Navirra. This was all it took for Navirra to focus on her enemy and conjure what she hoped would be her final spells against the wretched woman. She uttered the words of an ancient blessing of kings that granted her increased strength. She then outstretched her hand in the direction of Zalinne and yelled, "By the power of the Light, I now exorcise your tainted soul!"

Zalinne screamed in fury and attempted one last time to strike down the pesky Draenei girl, but as she pulled out her fan of knives she felt something stir inside her body that caused it to instantly go limp. The blades fell from her petrified fingers and her eyes bulged in fear. She couldn't move no matter how hard she tried. And then she felt another strange sensation. It was almost like a fluttering of butterflies in her stomach at first, but then it grew in intensity until her entire body felt like it was being ripped apart from the inside. When the pain and agony peaked, Zalinne's skeleton was pushed through her skin, falling in a pile on the ground behind her where they burst into flames. The tyrannical elf was finally dead.

CHAPTER FIFTY ONE

The orcs were leaderless, but not defeated. They continued to push inward and many had already breached the towers surrounding Blackwall, causing the Tauren and Draenei to retreat deeper into the valley of Mulgore. Soon the Alliance of hooved races would be backed into a corner and despite all of Navirra's inspired efforts, the orcs were still too numerous. The Tauren and Draenei would need a miracle to save them at this point.

A miracle came, but not in the form that the Alliance had expected. And although the arrival of a new army from the West finally thinned the rampaging orc clans, it also brought a new set of problems to the trapped survivors within Blackwall.

In the absence of Navirra, Cairne Bloodhoof decided to lead his tribe and most of the Draenei into the heart of the valley where he planned to make a stand in the ruins of Thunder Bluff. At least they would have the high ground there and hopefully the orcs could not climb well. When they arrived, he sent most of the refugees up the lifts to take shelter on the Elder Rise and left the mages and druids at the base of the bluffs to form a last line of defense. He then climbed the wyvern roost and used his farsight to search for Navirra. He could not see her, but he did see the Naga army coming up behind the orcs. He watched as the serpentine creatures effortlessly slaughtered everything they came in contact with.

"Earthmother help us," he cried out.

"What troubles you dear Chieftan?" Linaya called out to him as she ascended the ramp of the flight tower. "What have you seen?"

Cairne turned to his advisor. "The orcs are no more," he muttered. "They will harm us no more."

"That is great news," she exclaimed. "We should be rejoicing. Why are you so distressed by this?"

"See for yourself." He stretched his powerful arm towards the fallen wall that led into the Barrens. "Something worse beckons at our door now."

Linaya looked and beheld the snake-like Naga pouring into the valley, followed by sea giants, enraged makrura, corrupted water elementals, and some faceless creatures that looked like giants with squid tentacles on their heads. Her heart skipped a beat and her hope faltered. "What are they?" she asked. "Why are they here?"

"I do not know, but I believe that we are about to find out," said the old bull. "Look over there. The one who leads them is coming forward to speak."

Linaya peered down again and she could see a female humanoid on the back of a giant crab moving out from the clustered Naga forces. She skittered within a few hundred yards of the bluffs and stopped, dismounting her crustacean. She slithered forward a little further and then lifted her head towards to city. "Noble Cairne," she yelled. "Do not be foolish. Release the Priestess to us or we will raze your stronghold and slaughter your people to get to her."

The Chieftan descended from the roost and walked over to the edge of the bluff where he could speak to the Naga that apparently knew him by name. "I feel that I am at a disadvantage here," he said. "For I do not know your name, yet you know mine. I apologize for not recognizing you, but I am growing on in years and my eyesight is poor. With whom am I speaking?"

Queen Azshara raised her trident and waved it at him. "Your eyesight is near perfect old bull," she countered. "Do not try and fool me. I know all of your strengths as well as your weaknesses. We grew up side by side in these lands. Do you truly not recognize me?"

Cairne did not. He could see that she was covered in scales and had a serpentine tail like the other Naga, but her face was smooth and flawless, like some of the fairer races of Kalimdor. She had pointed ears that peeked out from under her silvery, white hair. She almost looked elven, but it couldn't be possible. There were miniature snakes amidsts the thin strands that lined her head and the long fingers that clutched her weapon were more like claws than hands. She had a very sinister beauty about her. "I have never beheld such a creature as you before," he finally said.

"A creature?" Azshara whipped her head back and cackled. It sounded like trees being destroyed by the sawblades of a goblin shredder. "I am no creature. I am a Queen. I am Azshara, the Highborne Queen. And I demand that you release the Priestess Amara to me."

Cairne finally recognized who he was speaking with. He thought that she had been killed many years ago. He had never actually spoken with the woman before and the few times he had seen her, she had looked nothing like she did now. What had turned her into this monster? And why did she want the Priestess? He turned to the crowd of refugees and met eyes with the Night Elf Priestess among the survivors. She looked frightened and nervous.

"My fight is not with you. Do not get in my way. I know that she is here!" Azshara screamed. "Give her to me or I will kill you all!"

Cairne looked back down at the Naga Queen and sighed. "We have no ill feelings towards you or your people," he began. "But we have formed an Alliance here that we will die to protect. If you want the Priestess, then you will have to come and get her."

Azshara dropped her free hand to her side and unstrapped a conch from her belt. She lifted the shell to her blackened lips and blew into it. A thunderous sound burst forth and echoed off of the surrounding cliffs. She then lowered the horn and yelled, "Bring me their heads!"

One of the tidal striders stomped past the Queen and rushed at the Draenei guarding the lifts. Taam and his fellow mages began launching arcane missiles in its direction. The giant growled as the spells seared his thick skin, but he didn't stop, pushing them aside with his mighty hands. He tried to climb the cliff as the mages continued to blast him, now with fire and frost. He growled again and finally succumbed to his wounds, slamming his full weight into the mountain as he fell.

Then rest of the Naga and sea creatures charged in with their weapons raised. Taam knew that his numbers were too insignificant, even with the healing support of the druids, so he called for a retreat. The Draenei and Tauren turned and started loading onto the lifts to go and join the rest of the refugees in the city above.

CHAPTER FIFTY TWO

Navirra made her way up an old game trail. She wound around the base of the mountain until shereached a part of the cliffs where the rock jutted out over the wall. She stood on the overlook and looked down into the Mulgore valley. She watched as the Naga overpowered the remaining orcs and then regrouped at the base of Thunder Bluff. She was too far away to hear the conversation between Cairne and the mysterious female that led the serpent army, but she could tell that it had not went well when the giants began to assault the bluffs.

Navirra was about to climb down from the mountain on the inside side of the wall to help her friends, but was halted when she saw something flying towards her on the horizon. At first she could not make out what it was, but as it got closer she saw that it was a giant bird of some kind. Yet it was not just a bird. Its head and wings were covered in blue feathers like a macaw, but they ended midway down the creature's back where they turned into fur. Its hind legs were hooved like her own and it had a feline tail. It was a peculiar beast, but as it landed gracefully on the cliff near her it did not appear threatening in any way.

The creature sqwaked once and lowered its head to her as if bowing. All at once Navirra's mind was assaulted by a vision. It appeared in her thoughts as if projected there by some unknown force. She tried to shake it away, but the more she struggled, the more it intensified. She could not move and ceased trying when the vision fully manifested. It was her grandfather. He was telepathically reaching out to her from somewhere far away.

"Grandfather," she cried out to him. "Grandfather, help us."

His voice came back to her. It was muffled and quiet as if being spoken through a hollow tube. "Navirra, we can see your plight. We can help but you must do exactly as I tell you."

"Yes Velen. I will listen. Guide me."

"Use this hippogryph to make your way to the Tauren city with haste. Speak with Cairne and have all of the Shamans join together to perform a ritual. It is the only way to survive this day."

He then continued to describe the ritual to her until she knew exactly what she needed to do. Then the vision faded and Navirra could move again. She immediately mounted the bird creature and led it towards the bluffs. As she approached the Elder Rise she could see Cairne and Linaya gathering the children, both Tauren and Draenei, into the only tent that still stood. She lanted and promptly jumped off, running to help.

"Cairne I have found a way to protect our people," she said as shepicked up a tiny cow girl and ushered her into the tent.

"Navirra, it is so good to see you again, although I wish it were under more positive circumstances."

"I am here to help, but we must act quickly or the Naga will overtake the city and kill us all. Follow me," said Navirra. "We need to gather all of the Shaman into the caves. I will head over to the Hunter Rise, Linaya can round them up here, and you should make your way to the Spirit Rise. I will explain everything once we get to the sacred pools. Go!"

All three of them scattered and headed to their destinations. When they reconveined in the the cave, Navirra was already instructing the Shaman to form a circle around the pools. Cairne, the last to arrive, ushered his group to join the others. They entered the cave and moved down the main corridor until it opened into the large chamber with the pools of water.

Cairne stayed behind at the entryway. From there he could see the utter chaos that the Naga raiders were causing as they moved up the lifts. He lifted his large head towards the sky, sniffing at the dry air. There was a putrid scent drifting on the wind. It was emanating from all of the slaughtered bodies littering the ground around the bluffs. He let out a guttural noise that echoed into the cave and began to weep for the loss of so many people.

The Shamans inside heard the painful cries of their Chieftan and returned some hollering of their own as if they could sense what Cairne was witnessing without being there. The noise was deep and somber, a voice of mourning. They each continued to hoot back and forth for a few seconds, chanting their death song, and then they lowered their heads in respect.

They then returned to the task at hand and slipped their fingers between those of the other Shamans in the circle like the weavings of a basket, interlocking each one. After this they doubled over, falling to their knees with the sacred waters between them. The Draenei Shamans, including Kriin, began to dance around the Tauren, performing the ritual that Velen had explained to Navirra. Their bodies moved in specific patterns with grace and poise as they continued to move in unison.

As soon as the dance was concluded, the Shamans waited and watched. There was a brief moment of stillness in the air. It lasted only for a few seconds and then black clouds began to gather overhead, forming in the clear sky outside as if materializing out of nothing. The whole sky grew dark, thunderheads spreading outward like a plague across the entire valley. A blanket of ominous darkness festered and grew until no light could be seen. Even the moon, which had been nearly full before, was invisible, hidden behind the shroud of heavy clouds.

Then it started to rain. There was no soft drizzle or sprinkling. The raindrops gushed out of the blackness in a torrential downpour instantly soaking everything they touched. The wind also picked up suddenly as if a vortex had been created over central Kalimdor. It gusted in every direction, sucking up water from the lakes and even the Great Sea and carrying it inland. The moisture blew outward as a wall of misty air and spread across the prairie like a tidal wave. It continued to spread in every direction, the waters rushing over the wall into Mulgore, flooding the entire valley and covering the Naga army under their waves.

CHAPTER FIFTY THREE

Queen Azshara was hit by a massive wave, but she saw it coming and managed to lower her head before it struck. It washed over her body, moving her a little, but ultimately not doing any damage. She swam forward a few paces and then burst out into the air again. She floated on the surface, surveying the mess that the water had possibly made. It flowed around her army, submerging them for a brief time, but in the end it only caused to slow down their assault.

Azshara looked up towards the cave and could see Cairne looking down at her. She grinned evily. "Do you think you can stop my army with water?" she yelled. "You are more foolish than I thought. We are Naga. We were reborn in the water. You will have to try harder than that if you plan to survive."

"That was only the beginning," Cairne bellowed back at her. "Prepare to meet your doom witch." He then turned to face the cave and yelled to the Shaman. "Do it now!"

The bowed Tauren Shamans watched for their cue and then lifted their heads, opening their mouths as if to scream. What came out was not noise, but what looked like electricity. Bolts of light blue energy arced out of their throats, bouncing off of their teeth, and spiraling up around their broad cheeks.

Then the noise did come. It was a loud humming like the rumble of a zeppelin. The Tauren unclasped their fingers and stretched their arms straight out to their sides like wings and giant bolts of lightning made a crescent over their heads, jumping from one opened hand to the other. It was like arches of energy, bending in a bow a few feet above them. Their bristly fur stood up on end, as if full of static, and curled upwards towards the pulsing, blue energy. This was followed by a high pitched squeal and the clapping of their hands together over their heads.

The sound of the collision was deafening. When their hands came together it created a shockwave. A bubble of heated air rippled out around their bodies, sending all the rocks in the chamber rolling away where they smashed into the cave wall. The painted glyphs on the walls bubbled and peeled, lifting up from the surface and floating into the air like distorted, little snowflakes. At the top of the shockwave where their fingers came together was where the greatest amount of energy erupted. A massive pillar of electricity shot skyward in the direction their fingers were pointing. It looked like a reverse bolt of lightning, rising from the ground and shooting through the ceiling into the sky outside. It rose like a spotlight, bursting through the rock and spiraling upward for a few seconds before bending and rocketing downward towards the flooded valley below.

Azshara's eyes grew large in fear as she watched the magic hurtling towards her army. As the blue lightning entered the water it immediately electrified it, turning the fluid into a death trap. The Naga screamed in agony as their nervous systemes exploded, instantly killing every last one of them that was in the water. The few stragglers that were making their way up the lifts were quickly dispatched by the Marksmen Hunters and joined their kin in death.

When the dust settled, Navirra and Cairne embraced. They had finally defeated their enemies and although they were beaten and broken, they had hope. They could rebuild. The Light had prevailed.

THE END